Rawiller wins the Waterhouse way

Nash Rawiller, who has become Australia’s top Group 1 rider since joining Gai Waterhouse’s Sydney stables in 2007, outrode the cream of the world’s jockeys to win one of the invitational races at Happy Valley last night.

The win, on Record High trained by Y. S. Tsui, came in the style typical of a Waterhouse runner. Rawiller pushing the 10/1 shot from the barrier in the 1650m race, settling in front, dictating the pace and breaking clear coming out of the sharp turn into the straight and holding on.

The pattern also is typical of racing on the tight Happy Valley circuit.

Rawiller enjoyed his moment in the spotlight, especially as it was his 36^th birthday, but it was the Hong Kong Jockey Club and top English rider Ryan Moore who were the big winners. Moore won two of the four Cathay Pacific International Jockeys’ Championship races, on Something Special and Fearless.

Moore, a three-time champion in Britain and fresh from winning the World Super Jockeys Series in Japan last month, said: “It is really nice to win this event, on my very own this time … especially good as I didn’t think I held much chance coming into it.”

He pocketed $HK200,000 (about $A27,000).

The HKJC’s decision to extend the series from three races to four paid with a clear winner. With three races last year Moore tied with Johnny Murtagh and Christophe Lemaire with a win each.

Local rep Douglas Whyte, the South African who has won the past 10 Hong Kong jockeys’ premierships and leads this one just over three months into the season, won the other invitation race on My Goal to finish second overall with 18 points, also placing on Jolly Wongchoy. Rawiller was third with 12. (Twelve points were awarded for a win, six for second and four for third.)

Australian Brett Prebble, also representing Hong Kong as its No.2 rider  – and the man most likely to eventually dethrone Whyte – was a clear favourite in jockey challenge betting on the four races, but had to settle for fourth place on 10 points with a second and a third.

And to top off a bad night, Prebble was suspended for eight days for improper riding for lifting an elbow towards Japan’s Hiroyuki Uchida in tight racing up the straight in the fourth leg of the challenge.

The Happy Valley jockeys’ series provided a strong lead-in to the Cathay Pacific International race meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday that features four Group 1s – the Sprint (1200m), the Mile (1600m), the Cup (2000m) and the Vase (2400m).

Ortensia, trained at Mornington by Tony Noonan and to be ridden by Craig Williams, is the sole Australian representative and is regarded an eachway chance in the Sprint. France’s Australian-owned Melbourne Cup winner, Americain, is favourite for the Vase. Gerald Mosse will ride.

Prebble will still be able to ride the favourite Sacred Kingdom in the Sprint.

Photo: Nash Rawiller wins on Record High at Happy Valley.