![Tony 'Tubba' Williams after one of his early morning trackwork outings. Picture by Joan Faras Tony 'Tubba' Williams after one of his early morning trackwork outings. Picture by Joan Faras](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/JJAXMCtTuAnFPeUKCfF8jc/39463570-956e-48b0-9664-59f6ebc31b7a.jpg/r0_0_960_640_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The last seven months have been tough for Tony 'Tubba' Williams - don't worry about that - but you're much more likely to hear the 62-year-old describe them as wonderful.
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Williams has dropped close to 38 kilograms as he chased a return to race riding after having his last official race over 44 years ago.
He now weighs in at 62kg, has his riding licence and will saddle up for three rides at the Bong Bong Picnic Races on Friday, November 24.
"As far as fitness goes, I probably haven't been fitter," Williams, who is director of stallions at Newgate, said.
"I feel good riding, which is great, and I've passed all medicals and everything else."
Williams was an apprentice with Pat Bourke at Flemington in the mid-70s and had his last official ride in July, 1979.
Ahead of his second stint as a race rider, Williams "got fair dinkum" about his weight loss in April this year.
However, a cheeky jump on the scales turned out to be a catalyst for the 62-year-old's journey back in January.
"A work colleague, Bruce Slade, and I had a weigh-in in January, which I weighed in at 99.95kg - and he can confirm that - which is very, very heavy for someone who's five foot four [inches]," Williams said.
"My nickname is Tubba for obvious reasons and I go up and down, like a yoyo, in weight but I'd never got down to this low a weight."
The bulk of the weight came off from April to August where Williams said he "probably lost six to seven kilograms a month".
Along with building up to exercising 90 minutes a day, the jockey also started riding trackwork for trainer Rod Northam at Scone in July.
He's been fasting for 16 hours a day as well and dropped "all the rubbish food out", something that wasn't easy.
![Tony 'Tubba' Williams with Bong Bong Club secretary Peter Hales. Picture supplied Tony 'Tubba' Williams with Bong Bong Club secretary Peter Hales. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/JJAXMCtTuAnFPeUKCfF8jc/ee1b2f57-1a90-478f-88e6-60b9ff9b1500.jpeg/r0_573_4032_3028_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I'm a connoisseur of rubbish food and sugary foods - I love it but we dropped all that out," he said.
That has all culminated in getting Williams to Bong Bong which he was drawn toward after hearing stories from trainers' John Moore and Nicky Henderson about the meeting.
Both had rode at the picnic meeting in the past, Moore running a second in the cup and Henderson winning a race there, plus, "it's an iconic picnic meeting," Williams said.
Two of Williams' rides at Bong Bong will be horses he owns alongside his wife, Sue, and a number of great mates.
Richter will line up in a class 2 handicap and Red Impulse will race in an open handicap. Both are trained by Scone trainer Justin Drake.
The other horse Williams will hop aboard is Northam's runner in the Bong Bong Cup, Titled Tycoon.
"I have three rides, and three nice rides, which a lot of friends have supported me in that," Williams said.
Williams' story has spread far and wide throughout the racing world and the support he has received has been immense.
From his family, friends, his workmates at Newgate, trainers like Northam and Drake, Racing NSW, the Scone Race Club and other jockeys, the support has been integral to the hoop's journey.
"It's quite humbling the amount of support and well wishes and messages I've been getting," Williams said.
"It's very, very nice but even the whole process has been wonderful."
As for the races, Williams isn't going up there to make up the numbers.
"We want to be a winner," Williams said.
He also plans to continue racing at picnic meetings across the eastern states but for now his focus is on Bong Bong.