Ruled out of riding in two of the biggest races of the Melbourne spring due to suspension, Nash Rawiller is turning his focus to winning a rich double in Sydney.
The top hoop, who has been in the best form of his career, was outed for careless riding aboard Power Of The Brave at the Randwick-Kensington meeting on Wednesday.
He made the tough call to start the penalty immediately in order to return in time for the Golden Eagle mount on Hawaii Five Oh at Rosehill on November 4, forcing him to forgo the Caulfield Cup ride on Montefilia this weekend and Fangirl in the Cox Plate.
Blake Shinn has picked up the mount on Montefilia, while a jockey is yet to be confirmed for Fangirl.
Rawiller says missing those races on two good chances is a tough pill to swallow.
“This time of year it is very costly, you make a slight mistake in a race like that yesterday and it has cost me an opportunity to win a Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate,” Rawiller told Sky Racing radio.
“It is something that plays heavily on your mind, but we’ve got a job to do and you’ve got to try to keep owners and trainers happy.”
Rawiller partnered Montefilia to her last start win in the Hill Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and had been wasting to get down to 54.5kg to ride her at Caulfield.
Having captured the Caulfield Cup aboard Elvstroem in 2004, he expected the mare to give the race a shake.
“It sends tingles down your spine the feel they give you those good ones, and she gave me that,” Rawiller said.
“She was too good an opportunity going into the Caulfield Cup not to take.
“It’s just a shame what’s happened.”
While disappointed, Rawiller is keeping his chin up and refocusing on his next goal – the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) on Hawaii Five Oh.
He also has also been the regular rider of in-form gelding Cepheus this spring and is looking forward to reuniting with the Matt Dunn galloper in the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day.
“We’ve still got a couple of bullets to fire,” he said.
