‘In the zone’: Top trainers’ high praise for in-form jockey Nash Rawiller

Nash Rawiller, an elder statesman in the Sydney jockeys room these days, showed he is riding as well as ever with his four-timer at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Nash Rawiller comes back to scale after winning aboard Emmadella at Randwick on Saturday (left), and Rawiller speaks to connections after his victory on Saltcoats. Pictures: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

He’s an elder statesman in the Sydney jockeys room these days but Nash Rawiller showed he was riding as well as ever with his four-timer at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Rawiller, 50, was in outstanding form scoring on Emmadella, Unstopabull, High Blue Sea and Saltcoats.

Their trainers, John Thompson (Emmadella), High Blue Sea (Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou) and Chris Waller (Unstopabull and Saltcoats) singled out Rawiller for particular praise after his winning rides.

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Ryan has had a long association with Rawiller, revealing the jockey had been riding winners for his stable for more than three decades, and the trainer knew when the rider was in the “zone”.

“Before the race, Nash was very confident,’’ Ryan said, immediately after High Blue Sea’s win.

“Nash has been riding winners for me since he was an 18-year-old apprentice so when he comes out confident like that, then you feel better about your chances.’’

High Blue Sea wins second up and @nashhot earns a treble! @GRyanRacingpic.twitter.com/dj5o2RvD2A

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 28, 2024

Rawiller’s four wins takes him to 30 wins for the season and third position in the Sydney jockeys premiership behind James McDonald on 46 wins going into the New Year.

The Ryan-Alexiou stable can build on their winning momentum when it chases a midweek stakes-race double with Amazing Eagle and Eagle Nest.

Promising three-year-old Amazing Eagle was scratched from Saturday’s Randwick meeting and saved for Tuesday’s Listed $200,000 Gosford Guineas (1200m) at Wyong.

Eagle Nest is among nominations for the Listed $200,000 Canterbury Sprint (1200m) at Canterbury on New Year’s Day, with the final field and barrier draw announced on Monday.

Amazing Eagle, who won the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes first-up at Randwick then had excuses when narrowly beaten in the Pierata Plate at Doomben, is the $2.40 TAB Fixed Odds favourite for the Gosford Guineas.

Another photo finish at Randwick but Amazing Eagle, who resumed after 230 days, showed great fight to win the LR Brian Crowley Stakes under @G1TySchil for @GRyanRacing 🦅 pic.twitter.com/Zz8dD9Q7Lf

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 26, 2024

• Rawiller proves Unstoppabull at Randwick

Ryan said the Wyong race would make or break plans for Amazing Eagle to go to the $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at the Gold Coast on January 11.

“If Amazing Eagle is going to have any chance in the Magic Millions Guineas, then he has got to be hard to beat on Tuesday,’’ Ryan said.

“His form is very good. He won well when resuming then struck that very heavy track at Doomben and copped a black eye during the race, too.

“It took him about six day to get over that but he’s fit and well now. We gave him a trial last Monday and he is ready to go for Wyong.

“If he runs up to our expectations (Tuesday) then it is all systems go for the Magic Millions Guineas.’’

The Bjorn Baker-trained Point And Shoot, a runner-up to Unstopabull at Randwick last Saturday, has been withdrawn from the Gosford Guineas, leaving a field of seven to contest the feature three-year-old race.

Baker will still have a strong hand in the Gosford Guineas with the consistent Midnight Dynamite ($3.10) and unbeaten Dance To The Boom ($4.20) the main rivals to Amazing Eagle.

A strong win for Midnight Dynamite in Race 6 at Goulburn! @BBakerRacingpic.twitter.com/AZg3cgqFcy

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2024

• Rejuvenated High Blue Sea storms home to victory

The Wyong meeting also hosts the Group 3 $300,000 Belle of the Turf Stakes (1600m) with trainer Joe Pride hoping for a fifth win in the feature fillies and mares race in a decade with the improving Aberlour.

In last TAB Fixed Odds betting, Aberlour is at $4.60 and pressing the Waller-trained Chica Mojito ($4.40) for favouritism.

Originally published as ‘In the zone’: Top trainers’ high praise for in-form jockey Nash Rawiller