A narrow defeat in last year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes was shattering for Nash Rawiller but he will be back sporting the same colours to chase an upset win in the race on Saturday.
The top Sydney jockey was narrowly denied by Sepoy on the John O’Shea-trained Foxwedge in the Group One sprint for three-year-olds at Flemington 12 months ago.
“That was probably one of my most disappointing results of the year because we put a lot of planning into it and to go so close to knocking Sepoy off but not quite getting there was such a shame,” Rawiller said.
“But we had our day in the sun with Foxwedge a few months later (in the Group One William Reid Stakes).”
Rawiller had been the regular partner of now-stallion Foxwedge throughout his career but he’ll be in a different situation on Saturday.
He will be riding Knight Exemplar in a race for the first time.
“I gave him a trial down the straight at Flemington on Tuesday and was very happy with what I felt,” Rawiller said.
“He’s still a maiden but he gave me the impression that he’s the type of horse that could go and race in this company and be very competitive.”
Knight Exemplar was second to Coolmore Stud Stakes rival Jolie Bay in the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last start.
The Exceed And Excel colt is one of two O’Shea-trained runners in the Coolmore (1200m) with Shelford to be ridden by James McDonald.
McDonald is also yet to ride Shelford in a race but has been involved in the colt’s development having ridden him in trackwork and trials, including his first barrier trial as a two-year-old in September last year.
Shelford had an early setback which delayed his spring return but he resumed with a fifth in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) two weeks ago.
He will have winkers removed and blinkers added for the Coolmore.
“I love Shelford and I reckon he’s going to make a topline horse in the future,” McDonald said.
“They ran a track record the other day and he was fresh-up so imagine the improvement he is going to take out of that.
“The hood (blinkers) goes on, John is happy, I’m happy to be on him. It’s going to be a great race.”
Talented fillies Snitzerland and Nechita share favouritism for the Coolmore Stud Stakes, one of four Group Ones on the Victoria Derby day program.
