Rawiller beats careless riding charge

Top jockey Nash Rawiller has beaten a careless riding charge that threatened  to see him miss several feature race meetings during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Rawiller’s appeal against a ten meeting suspension imposed on him by Racing Queensland Stewards for causing interference in the Group 1 $500,000 Kirks Doomben Cup  (2000m) at Doomben last Saturday was upheld and he is free to ride next week.

The incident at the turn out of the straight sparked a tense protest hearing with trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen claiming Rawiller on subsequent winner Mawingo crossed race favourite Manighar, causing him to check and loose considerable ground and his racing position.

Rawiller maintained in the protest hearing and later at an inquiry that he was always one horse off the fence and left sufficient room for Nolen and Manighar.

“I was one off the fence and left enough room for Manighar,” Rawiller told stewards.

“I was out there and I know what happened. I never shifted in and left room on my inside.”

“If Luke Nolen thought I was guilty or even 90 per cent guilty he would have gone in heavy in the protest hearing but he didn’t.”

“I don’t agree my actions were careless.”

Stewards disagreed with Rawiller, sending him out for ten meetings, but the appeal body was convinced with Rawiller’s defence and quashed the suspension.

But Rawiller had to give up the ride on Doomben 10,000 chance Buffering when he opted not to ask for a stay of proceedings leading up to his appeal and fellow Sydney jockey High Bowman snapped up the ride.

That was the second time Rawiller has miss a chance to ride Buffering after he was a race morning scratching, because of a hoof injury, from the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 12 when a raging hot favourite.

John O’Shea’s top three year old year Foxwedge moved one step closer towards his English campaign with a pleasing barrier trial at Rosehill today.

Rawiller, who is the three year old’s regular jockey, rode Foxwedge when he scored his maiden Group 1 victory in the Group 1 $400,000 Power Tracker William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 23.

O’Shea was happy with Foxwedge finishing second in a 900m trial and will monitor him over the next forty-eight hours before sending him to Melbourne to prepare for his flight to England three days later.

“It was a bit of a burn around to blow out a few cobwebs,” O’Shea said.

“Obviously we’ve got 48 hours to make sure the horse is 100 per cent and come through the trial well before we make any assessment.”

“I just want to see how he pulls up this afternoon and then we’ll go from there.”

O’Shea has targeted the Group 1 £350,000 The King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) at Royal Ascot on June 19 as one of his main missions.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.