Nash Rawiller’s dominance set to continue in the Sunshine State

NASH Rawiller is set to enhance his reputation as the Queensland cash converter when he flies north to Doomben on Saturday.

Junoob and Nash Rawiller have a great chance in Saturday’s Doomben Cup.

NASH Rawiller is set to enhance his reputation as the Queensland cash converter when he flies north to Doomben on Saturday.

The champion jockey has made the most of his recent brief visits to the Sunshine State and he has started with a bang again this winter with black type wins on Dothraki and Brazen Beau.

Rawiller has won five Group 1 races in the past four years here. Queensland only has eight Group 1 races each season, so it is a healthy strike rate, especially when his five winners came from only 17 rides.

“I love the carnival in Brisbane,” Rawiller said. “I’ve had some good backing when I’ve come up here. Off the tail end of the Sydney carnival there’s usually a few nice horses I stay on for Brisbane.’’

Rawiller’s northern success dates back to Bel Esprit, on whom he won the 2003 Doomben 10,000.

“I was fortunate to get on him in the Doomben 10,000,” Rawiller said. “His regular rider got suspended I think. It kicked off a pretty good association coming to Brisbane and winning those big ones.’’

Rawiller is set to be Australia’s leading Group 1 jockey for the fourth time this season, currently holding an 8-5 lead over the absent Hugh Bowman.

His best tally came in 2011-12 when he won 11 majors and he also topped the list in 2009-10 with nine and 2008-09 with eight.

Junoob and Nash Rawiller have a great chance in Saturday’s Doomben Cup.

Kalabek (Lancaster Stakes) is his most fancied mount, but several others will come in for backing, including his Doomben Cup mount Junoob and Fred Best hope Dothraki.

“I’m hopeful we can ride Junoob closer,” he said. “He got beaten for speed a little bit at the Coast and once he found his momentum it was too late, we were already in our spot.

“We were giving Streama a start. Had we settled a little bit in front of her in the run I think it would have made the difference.”

He has huge respect for Dothraki’s ability, but is wary he can do things wrong, like when he pulled up and almost threw away the Gold Coast Guineas last start.

“I wouldn’t put (the Stradbroke) beyond him,” he said. “If he can just get into one of those races, like a Stradbroke, with high pressure where he can sit off the speed, I think it could fall into place for him.

“He basically pulled up and waited for them last time. It was just fortunate we had a big enough lead to hold on.’’

Rawiller said Dothraki had a beautiful action and he believed he would be able to put it to better use on a firmer track.

He will also reunite with his spring Toorak winner Solzhenitsyn, who has a crushing 61kg in the BRC Sprint.

“He was in a real purple patch when we won the Toorak,” Rawiller said. “Unfortunately it all went pear-shaped.

“He had a couple of little well-documented issues, but he had a good spell and fortunately, from all reports, he’s come back in pretty good shape and he’s ready to return to his best form.’’