Rawiller plots his spring path around staying star Fiorente

CHAMPION jockey Nash Rawiller has turned his back on Royal Randwick's Super Saturday for one reason - Fiorente.

Foreman Roger Elliot takes Fiorente for a walk at Flemington. Picture: Getty Images

CHAMPION jockey Nash Rawiller has turned his back on Royal Randwick's Super Saturday for one reason - Fiorente.

"When I rode Fiorente in a barrier trial at Randwick back in July, I said to myself then I didn't want to be off his back during the spring,'' Rawiller said.

"So, wherever he goes, I want to stay with him.''

Which is why Rawiller will be at Flemington tomorrow to partner the Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) instead of Royal Randwick's Epsom Handicap meeting where he could have had the choice of some outstanding rides.

Fiorente, the former English galloper, is staking a claim to be ranked the nation's most versatile galloper.

Remember Fiorente ran second in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) behind Green Moon last spring at his first Australian start then raced only once in autumn when a fast finishing third behind All Too Hard in the All Aged Stakes (1400m).

Fiorente with foreman Roger Elliot at Flemington this week. Picture: Getty Images

Fiorente may not have beaten Atlantic Jewel but he should have finished a lot closer than sixth in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) when resuming last month before unleashing a stunning late surge to win the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley three weeks ago.

The Turnbull Stakes has attracted an outstanding field of 16 (plus four emergencies) and includes 11 individual Group 1 winners but the early favourites for the Flemington feature are yet to win at the highest level - Fiorente and Puissance De Lune who share the top line of betting at $4.20 in early TAB Fixed Odds betting.

Waterhouse, who is also saddling up Glencadam Gold in the Turnbull, said she is now aiming Fiorente at the rare Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup double, a feat achieved only twice in the more than 60 years by champions Saintly (1996) and Makybe Diva (2005).

The Hall of Fame trainer, a Turnbull winner with All Our Mob back in 1995, is following the identical spring race trail blazed so successfully by the Lloyd Williams-owned Green Moon last year that yielded Group 1 wins in the Turnbull Stakes and Melbourne Cup.

Green Moon ran only seventh in the Cox Plate last spring in between his Flemington big race wins but Rawiller is convinced Fiorente can win the nation's weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley on October 26.

Foreman Roger Elliot takes Fiorente for a walk at Flemington. Picture: Getty Images

"I will say this without sounding like an idiot but he would be the strongest mile and a quarter horse (2040m) I've ridden in a Cox Plate," Rawiller said.

"I've ridden some nice horses in the Cox Plate but this horse is very well credentialed for the Cox Plate.

"If there is a chink in some of the others he will find them out."

With Waterhouse keeping Fiorente to a weight-for-age program through the spring, the stayer cannot be re-handicapped from the 55kg he has been allocated for the Melbourne Cup on November 5.

"His 55kg is a good weight for this horse," Rawiller said. "It gives him his chance."

Green Moon is being reserved for the Caulfield Stakes next week with Williams relying on the talented Fawkner in the Turnbull Stakes.

Williams has made the Turnbull Stakes his own in recent years with wins from Efficient (2009), Zipping (2010) and Green Moon beating stablemate Seville last year.