Matthew Williamson has Florence The Machine on song, but the trainer-driver hopes she can hit higher notes.
The 4-year-old added win number three to her record when running her rivals off their feet at Winton yesterday.
Florence The Machine has built a strong record since joining the Williamson stable, winning two of her last three starts for Canterbury owners Craig and Caroline White.
But it has not been smooth sailing along the way.
"She gets pretty keen early in her races and today was no different, she got on the job, but she was too good for them," Williamson said.
"We have been making gradual progress with her, but she is still not where we want her to be manners-wise.
"It has been good that her gait has been getting more consistent — we just need to keep working on her ringcraft."
Though the mare has led and dominated her rivals in her recent wins, Williamson hopes Florence The Machine will be even more potent with more tractability.
"We will keep working away on her, she’s actually running her races upside down."
"Her speed is her best asset, it would be better if she was able to relax in behind them and use her turn of foot."
Another trotting mare showed what she is capable of when also scoring nicely at Winton yesterday.
Julie Jaccka surged back into winning form when taking out the Wairio Trotting Club meeting’s feature trot.
Junior driver Daniel Anderson had the Brett Gray trained mare fourth throughout before unleashing her.
"Brett gave her a freshen-up and she had been working really well coming into today," Anderson said.
"That’s my third win on her, [owners] Charlie and Ailsa Smaill have been great, giving me heaps of good opportunities."
All of the trotting events at Winton were won by mares, with Tillaberi producing a big victory in yesterday’s maiden event.
The trotter sat parked for most of her assignment before toughing out an impressive win for trainer Robert Wilson and driver Nathan Williamson.
Williamson notched a winning treble, also scoring with Passchendaele and Utah Jazz from his own barn.
Both pacers are raced by New South Wales owner Mick Boots.
Captains Mistress will step out for Boots and Williamson in tonight’s Magness Benrow Sires Stakes semifinal at Addington.
