Rawiller has right Cox Plate form for Silent Achiever

The combination of Nash Rawiller and Silent Achiever has the right Cox Plate form if they can repeat their Group 1 winning Sydney Autumn Carnival success.

Nash Rawiller and Silent Achiever are ready to regain their winning Sydney Autumn Carnival form in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Photo by Steve Hart.

Nash Rawiller and Silent Achiever are ready to regain their winning Sydney Autumn Carnival form in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Photo by Steve Hart.

Rawiller steered the Roger James trained Silent Achiever to two Group 1 victories at Rosehill, beating Carlton House and It’s A Dundeel in the Group 1 $500,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m)  and then beat It’s A Dundeel again with Fiorente third in the  in the Group 1 $1.5m The BMW (2400m).

Silent Achiever has failed to fire at three Spring Carnival runs with Damien Oliver on board but James is hoping the return of Rawiller to the saddle will be the catalyst needed for the multiple Group 1 winning mare to return to the winner’s stall.

Rawiller has taken up a riding contract in Hong Kong until January next year but was always keen to return to Australia for the Spring Carnival to ride Silent Achiever.

“The beauty of having Nash is he knows her capabilities and he’s getting on with that thought rather than the thought of her recent starts,” James told AAP.

“Somebody said to me the other day if Carlton House, Fiorente or Dundeel were in the race they’d probably be favourite.”

“They said she beat all three in the autumn, so if you can have her in the same order as the autumn you’ve got to be right amongst it.

“The question is, have I got her in the same order? I think I have.”

Silent Achiever just missed a place when a first-up fourth to Dissident in the Group 1 $400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30  and was then sent out the favourite when fifth to Foreteller in the Group 1 $400,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 20.

At her latest start the O’Reilly mare was always in the second half of the field before finishing just over five lengths from the winner Lucia Valentina when ninth in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington three weeks ago.

One thing in Silent Achiever’s favour is her ability to handle the tricky Moonee Valley circuit with the mare winning the 2012 Group 2 $220,000 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m) at her only appearance at the track.

Silent Achiever had her final solid hit for the Cox Plate on Tuesday morning at the ‘Breakfast With The Best’ at Moonee Valley and James was pleased with her work.

“I thought that it was good solid work,” James said.

“It was what she needed with three weeks between runs and this is her one and only good solid hit out.

“She has pulled up well from it, she is no flashy worker and she never has been, so I am happy.

“Her form, solid is being polite probably, but I think that she is close to the form that she was in in Sydney.”

Silent Achiever is currently marked as a $13 chance for the Cox Plate with Ladbrokes.com.au.

Last start Caulfield Stakes winner Fawkner is the $4.50 favourite ahead of the Irish galloper Adelaide at $6.50 and the David Payne trained Criterion who is also well in contention at $7.00 following his first class effort when second to Fawkner at Caulfield while the Chris Waller trained Sacred Falls has eased slightly to be $7.50.

Next in the betting are last year’s Cox Plate runner up Happy Trails and the consistent Royal Descent both at $11.

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.