Champion jockey Nash Rawiller has been offered the ride on star Warrnambool galloper Tuvalu in the $1 million Group One Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on June 1.
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Tuvalu's trainer Lindsey Smith is hoping Rawiller will indicate if he'll take the ride on his stable star by the middle of the week.
Tuvalu won the listed Wangoom Handicap on May 1 at his last start and will be stabled at Toowoomba early next week in the lead up to the 1300-metre contest.
Smith said Tuvalu was in great shape after his Wangoom handicap victory at Warrnambool's May Racing Carnival.
"We've offered the ride to Nash on Tuvalu in the Kingsford Smith," the astute trainer said.
"Nash is a world-class jockey. I'm hoping he'll take up the ride.
"I can't fault Tuvalu's fitness and condition leading into the Kingsford Smith. He's done a treat since his win in the Wangoom. We'll give him a grass gallop at Warrnambool this Friday to have him ready for the Kingsford Smith."
Smith has called on the services of his former foreperson Bonnie Kingsley to look after the six-year-old while he's in Brisbane.
"Bonnie will be going up north with Tuvalu," he said.
"Bonnie is studying to be a paramedic at university and can do her studies by the computer. She'll be at Toowoomba before I get there.
"It's wonderful that Bonnie can go up north as she has a wonderful understanding of Tuvalu having worked with the horse previously while at our stable."
Tuvalu has won just over $2 million in stakemoney from his 22 starts.
The former Perth trainer, who moved to Warrnambool five years ago, is in the middle of downsizing his training operation from a 42 on-course training facility to 24 horses in work at the track.
"Things are progressing well with the downsizing," Smith said.
"We had been short of workers but out of the blue a few locals turned up looking for work and I gave them a job. It's great they're on board as it makes it easier for all our staff."
Smith scratched his four runners from Casterton on Sunday - including Bold Bourbon, who was chasing back-to-back Casterton Cup wins - because of wide barriers.
Where to next?
VETERAN Warrnambool trainer Merv McKenzie faces a quandary trying to find another suitable race for his sprinter A Good Yarn.
The 10-year-old ran an unlucky second behind Tori's Dee in a benchmark race over 1008 metres at Werribee on Friday, May 17 and McKenzie is scratching his head where to give A Good Yarn his next start.
"There's no suitable races in the south-west for A Good Yarn," McKenzie said.
"It looks like we might have to go to Seymour with him. It's a long way to Seymour but it's the only place that has a suitable race for him. I'm not sure if we'll go or not.
"A Good Yarn is a tough horse to place. His best distance is around the 1000 metres and there's not many races programmed for him. He's one of those old-fashioned tough sprinters. I thought he was a shade unlucky at Werribee, with an ounce of luck I thought he could have won."
McKenzie said he was confident of a forward showing at Werribee after a poor run at Warrnambool's May Carnival.
"A Good Yarn just failed to handle the going at Warrnambool," he said.
"I knew his run at the carnival was too bad to be true. I was expecting him to run a lot better at Werribee and he never let me down."
From his 57 starts A Good Yarn has won eight races and finished in the minor placings on 15 occasions.
He has picked up more than $255,000 in stakemoney for his connections.
A winner again
BRITISH Angel may have her next start in a mid-week fillies race after she scored an all-the-way win in a benchmark 70 at Casterton on Sunday.
The three-year-old, with Tom Madden in the saddle, appreciated drawing barrier one in Sunday, May 19, 2024's 1200-metre race.
Trainer Tom Dabernig said it paid to forget British Angel's last start at the Warrnambool carnival.
"British Angel drew a wide barrier at Warrnambool and that never helped her chances," Dabernig said.
"I was confident she would run well at Casterton after she drew barrier one. She's won two from two there. I think she's up to a mid-week race in town but we'll just take her through her grades."
Dabernig had three winners on Casterton's 10-race program.
His other winners were Calico Jack and Picaroon in the Casterton Cup.
Patience rewarded
WARRNAMBOOL galloper Idon'tgetit had conditions to suit winning a restricted race at Casterton on Sunday.
Idon'tgetit came with a well-timed run by jockey Melissa Julius from back in the field to win the 2000-metre race.
Trainer Peter Chow said the five-year-old had numerous issues in his 17-start career.
"I'm grateful for the patience of Idon'tgetit's owners," Chow said.
"The patience has been rewarded with a win and a great ride by Melissa. I think Idon'tgetit really appreciated the soft going and that helped him get the win."
Idon'tgetit has won three races in his career.
Penalised
JOCKEY Ethan Brown will have 10 meetings on the sidelines after pleading guilty to a careless riding charge following his ride on Sea Mist at Cranbourne on Friday night.
Stewards found that near the 150-metre mark Brown permitted Sea Mist to shift in when not clear of Auriel.
Stewards deemed the incident to be in the mid-range and took into account his guilty plea before handing down the 10-meeting penalty.
