A masterful ride by Nash Rawiller helps Emmadella score followed by a deserved Randwick win for Unstopabull

The genius of Nash Rawiller was to the fore with two masterful rides to land consecutive races with Emmadella and Unstopabull at Randwick.

Nash Rawiller takes an inside run to get Unstopabull home first at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

Unstopabull might have had some divine intervention and a tactical masterpiece by jockey Nash Rawiller to win at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Just 35 minutes after Rawiller produced a brilliant winning effort on Emmadella in the Midway Handicap (1400m), the jockey was at it again when he took a “short cut” home on Unstopabull to win the Toyota Forklights Handicap (1100m).

Rawiller and Unstopabull were with Point And Shoot at the back of the field as the field thundered around the home turn.

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But when Point And Shoot was taken wide by jockey Rachel King to make his run down the centre of the track, Rawiller gambled by following the inside rail.

As the field fanned across the track, Unstopabull snuck through along the inside to edge out Point And Shoot.

“I probably saved two lengths going up the inside,” Rawiller told Chris Waller, trainer of Unstopabull. “But the horse really wanted to win, he did a great job.”

Waller, the Hall of Fame trainer, acknowledged Rawiller’s masterful effort post-race.

“Nash is a bad rider to give instructions to sometimes,” Waller admitted. “So, usually I just say I will leave it to you because he can do the unexpected and win.”

Unstopabull ($8.50) got through to beat Point And Shoot ($2.40 favourite) win by a long neck with Mawjood ($3.40) a half-length away third.

Waller then paid tribute to the owners of Unstopabull, who are still grieving the loss of one of their syndicate members, Paul Griffin, last month.

Last at the turn, first over the line! 🔥

Unstopabull wins up along the inside, it's a @nashhot running double! 👏@cwallerracingpic.twitter.com/Zbvlh3OtmH

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 28, 2024

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Griffin, 55, died after an alleged one-punch attack when he was enjoying Melbourne Cup Day festivities at a hotel in the Hills district in northern-western Sydney.

“Unstopabull’s owners are a good bunch of owners from the local footy team (Hills Bulls rugby league club),” Waller said.

“Their horse deserved this win. He’s been a consistent, midweek performer who got an opportunity in Saturday class.

“It’s the right time of year for a horse like him and he made it count today.”

In the previous race, Rawiller produced another textbook effort to win on Emmadella ($2.40) favourite to win by a length from early leader Magnatear ($6.50) with Jaex ($51) three-quarters of a length away third.

■ Trainer John Thompson was succinct in his praise for Rawiller: “A super ride from a tricky draw,” he said.

“You were at ease within 50m. He had got over into a nice spot, she was travelling well, he was cuddling her the rest of the race and it was pretty painless.

It's the favourite Emmadella getting it done in the third at Randwick! 👏@JTRacingRwikpic.twitter.com/HLrGj3gDdP

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 28, 2024

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“She’s a very nice mare. She’s going to go through her grades. She’ll end up back in stakes grade in the not too distant future.”

Rawiller admitted Emmadella’s draw looked awkward on paper but the race panned out well for the talented mare.

“She made that look quite easy,” Rawiller said.

“We got into a lovely rhythm back in the field and I was quite taken by her turn of foot.”

Emmadella, a daughter of the outstanding All Too Hard, improved her race record to four wins (and four minor placings) from 13 starts, taking her career earnings to more than $230,000 prizemoney.

Thompson feels the best is yet to come from his promising four-year-old mare.

“It’s hard to get carried away winning a Midway but she’s a lovely mare that’s going to go through her grades,” he said.

“She already ran fourth in a stakes race in Queensland at the end of a preparation when she had probably already peaked. She will get back to stakes level, she’s super honest.”

Rawiller went on toi ride another two winners latter in th day on High Blue Sea and Saltcoats.

Originally published as A masterful ride by Nash Rawiller helps Emmadella score followed by a deserved Randwick win for Unstopabull