Nash Rawiller has laid down the gauntlet to Hugh Bowman on Saturday with a four-win haul at Rosehill to close the gap to 1-1/2 wins in their intriguing battle for this season’s Sydney riding honours.
Bowman will miss Wednesday’s meeting through suspension, giving Rawiller a golden opportunity to take the lead with two meetings left after the midweek fixture.
The Great Snowman - Photo by Steve Hart
Rawiller says he is not letting the premiership weigh him down but admits he is in it to win it.
“If I didn’t want to win the premiership I’d be on holidays now,” Rawiller said.
“But I am just concentrating on riding winners. When you don’t you are not doing your job.”
The first of Rawiller’s winners came aboard Bull Point for Gai Waterhouse with the colt turning his last-start defeat around to set himself up for a spring sprint campaign for his owners Coolmore.
Waterhouse said the two-year-old would not be stretched in distance during the spring with the Group One race his owners sponsor, the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week his target.
Rawiller was seen at his most effective aboard The Great Snowman who looked to be beaten inside the final 80 metres of the Woolworths Handicap (1500m).
Bowman hit the front on Hendricus but eventually wound up third when The Great Snowman, also trained by Waterhouse, rallied to beat Bay Window by a head.
“He is a very talented horse and is a stable favourite,” Rawiller said.
“He was beaten three times in the straight but came back to win.”
Rawiller’s other winners were Relaxed And Happy for Chris Waller and Excellent Point for Darren Smith.
After trailing Bowman by 13-1/2 winners at the end of April, Rawiller made inroads while the latter was on a European holiday.
The two have shared the past four titles with two apiece, an achievement given that both are regarded as heavyweight riders.
Tommy Berry forfeited his chance at a first premiership when he took up a short-term contract in Hong Kong at the end of April when he was half a win in front of Bowman.
