Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller hasn’t confirmed a rider for Boban for the remainder of the Autumn Carnival as Nash Rawiller takes over the reins from Glyn Schofield in the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Nash Rawiller will ride Boban in the Expressway Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Schofield was aboard Boban on all his five wins last campaign, including Group 1 victories in the $500,000 The Star Epsom (1600m) at Randwick on October 5 and the 1 $1m Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 9.
But the top jockey had to relinquish the ride on Boban in the Expressway Stakes after being suspensed for four weeks over his ride on Number One Gun on the Kensington track at Randwick on December 20.
Schofield will also be on the sidelines when Boban goes around in the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 22 or the Group 1 $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on the same day with Waller non-committal if the South African born jockey will be an automatic selections for the ride in the Group 1 $500,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 8.
“It’s semi-automatic,” Waller told The Daily Telegraph.
“But we’ve got plenty of good horses, so Glyn won’t be left out to dry – he’ll get plenty of rides for us when he comes back.”
Waller has his eyes set on the Group 1 $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 19 as Boban’s grand final for the Autumn and said that he was a little surprised how much the four year old did improve during the Spring.
“He has surprised us, it’s as simple as that. That’s what keeps us going, the uncertainty, and the highs and lows that go with it.
“We’ll run him in the Expressway Stakes on Saturday, with the Queen Elizabeth the big aim. It’s a long way, but we want him racing and to get him to relax and switch off so he’ll get the 2000m. It will be a nice, gradual campaign.
“After Saturday the plan will be to go to the Apollo Stakes, or the Group 1 Futurity, which will be run (in Melbourne) on the same day.”
Waller has also nominated Arinosa, Moriarty and new stable acquisition Sizzling for the Expressway Stakes.
