Nash Rawiller makes last-ditch dash to catch James McDonald in race for 2023-24 Sydney Jockeys’ Premiership

Champion jockey Nash Rawiller will delay plans to take a short holiday this month if he has a chance of winning a fourth Sydney jockeys premiership.

Gun jockeys James McDonald (left) and Nash Rawiller are locked in a battle for the Sydney Jockeys' Premiership.

Champion jockey Nash Rawiller will delay plans to take a short holiday this month if he has a chance of winning a fourth Sydney jockeys premiership.

Rawiller has ridden 74 metropolitan winners so far in the 2023-24 season to trail leader and defending champion James McDonald by nine wins.

There are only nine city meetings remaining but Rawiller still has an opportunity to make a late-season charge for the title, particularly with McDonald out of the saddle indefinitely with a stomach condition.

McDonald said on Monday he wouldn’t be riding this week and although he “hopes to be back as soon as I can” he has not put a time frame on his return.

This has opened the door for Rawiller to keep the pressure on an absent McDonald in the premiership race.

Rawiller has five rides at Canterbury on Wednesday and will have close to a full book of rides for the Winter Stakes meeting at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

“The premiership is probably the furthest thing on my mind at the moment,’’ Rawiller said.

“But if I get a ‘sniff’ (of the premiership) in the next two weeks then I won’t be going anywhere.’’

Champion jockey James McDonald @mcacajamez has admitted he has no time frame on a return to the saddle after he fell ill at the Warwick Farm meeting last Wednesday. 👇https://t.co/VLdlzfDPhy

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) July 1, 2024

• Rawiller makes premiership charge at ripe old age of 49

His Canterbury rides are all at single figure odds including Yasuke ($3.80, race 5) and The Little Pumper ($3.50, race 7) who are challenging for favouritism.

Rawiller has won the Sydney premiership three times in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2012-13.

He probably should have won a fourth title in 2013-14 but, in a twist of fate, he was beaten by a youthful McDonald with a slender two-win margin.

Rawiller was leading the premiership going into July a decade ago but decided to take up a short-term riding contract in Japan and McDonald then overhauled his rival and won the title at the very last meeting of the season.

The 2023-24 premiership could also go down to the wire with the final city meeting scheduled for Warwick Farm on July 31.

Rawiller told News Corp recently the “premiership is something I would love to win again, particularly at my age (49) and after winning my third title 10 years ago’’.

If Rawiller does claim a fourth premiership later this month, it will be the longest period between Sydney jockeys premiership wins.

Hall of Fame jockey Jack Thompson currently holds that record after he won his fifth (and final) Sydney title in 1955-56, eight years after his previous premiership success in 1947-48.

Chris Waller is certain to claim a 14th successive Sydney trainers premiership. He has prepared 136 metropolitan winners this season and has a commanding lead over nearest rival, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable with 84.5 wins.

If Waller can maintain his season average of around 13 city winners a month then he will go close to breaking the 150-win barrier for a record ninth time.

2023-24 Sydney jockeys premiership

JAMES McDONALD v NASH RAWILLER
McDonald – 83 wins
Rawiller – 74 wins
• Nine metropolitan meetings remaining this season
• McDonald not riding due to illness this week

Rawiller’s rides at Canterbury on Wednesday
Race 3: Magnatear $6
Race 4: Diamond Model $5
Race 5: Yasuke $3.80
Race 6: Delexo $9
Race 7: The Little Pumper $3.50

Originally published as Nash Rawiller makes last-ditch dash to catch James McDonald in race for 2023-24 Sydney Jockeys’ Premiership