Injured jockey Nash Rawiller is hoping for an Autumn Carnival return to the saddle as he awaits surgery to repair his broken ankle he suffered at the Rosehill barrier trials yesterday.
Rawiller will be out for at least six weeks after John O’Shea’s unraced two year old, Recharging To Win jammed his right ankle up against the starting gates as the field was preparing for a heat of the two year old trials.
The Jeep Magic Millions Carnival at the Gold Coast in January is off the agenda and Rawiller won’t get a chance to erase the bad memories of thee 2012 Magic Millions when the race was taken off him in the stewards’ room after being first past the post on the Gai Waterhouse trained No Looking Back.
But Waterhouse was a winner as Tommy Berry on stablemate Driefontein was awarded the $2m BMW Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) after stewards declared that he was hampered by Rawiller on No Looking Back over the final fifty metres.
But Rawiller is determined to return to riding in top condition and has earmarked the Sydney Autumn Carnival for his likely return.
“I’m going to focus on being 100 per cent for autumn,” Rawiller said.
Rawiller was told what he feared the most when taken to Westmead Hospital by ambulance and x-rays confirmed that the top jockey will have to undergo surgery to repair his broken ankle.
“It’s not real good, mate,” Rawiller said.
“My ankle was bent back at a 180-degree angle. The ankle is badly broken and there is tendon and ligament damage as well.”
Waterhouse is slowly building up her assault for another two year old Magic Millions victory and has five lengths Rosehill winner Certitude lining up in the $200,000 Wyong Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1100m) at Wyong on Thursday on her way to the Gold Coast.
Waterhouse has already won the Magic Millions two year old classic on four occasions and as well as winning the 2012 race, was successful with Dance Hero in 2004, Excellerator in 2001 and Assertive Lad the previous year.
Rawiller was currently serving a careless riding suspension incurred last Saturday at Rosehill and was to return to race riding on the December 29 missing the Villiers meeting at Warwick Farm this week but will now spend the Festive Season recuperating.
Last season’s leading Group 1 rider is currently sharing the lead in the Sydney jockey’s premiership with Glyn Schofield on twenty-six wins and kept the winners flowing last Saturday on Samui Lad for the Waterhouse stable.
Rawiller teamed up with Waterhouse to take all before then in the Sydney Autumn Carnival this year winning six Group 1s, courtesy of two year old Grand Slam winner Pierro, Laser Hawk and super mare More Joyous but the powerful Sydney combination came away from the Melbourne Spring Carnival without a Group 1 victory.
