Nash Rawiller cast off the shackles and snapped out of an early season malaise brought about by suspensions with wins for his two key contributors at Sha Tin yesterday as he pressed his case for a contract extension when the licensing committee meets next month.
Rawiller has only ridden at 10 of the 28 meetings so far after a string of careless suspensions incurred in Japan and Australia, along with two separate charges in his new full-time base, causing him to lose confidence and fail to find any rhythm with his riding.
With just two wins going into yesterday, Rawiller was beginning to feel the heat, but inspired rides from wide gates on Contentment for John Size and Pablosky for John Moore gave him some breathing room and repaid the faith the two leading trainers have placed in him.
"Nothing has gone right so far, so today was very satisfying," Rawiller said. "It must be some sort of record to get suspended in three different countries in the space of a month, and it has been frustrating.
"The connections I have made with trainers, I haven't been able to grow them into something meaningful, but I am thankful to the two trainers I won for today that they have stuck with me because those two guys have been my biggest supporters."
On the question of Rawiller retaining his place on the jockeys' roster for the remainder of the term, it seems crazy that a three-time Sydney premiership winner would have to fight for his spot.
But after watching fellow Sydneysider Christian Reith return home this week without support, the 39-year-old felt like he needed to make an impression soon.
"I came here for the long haul and I haven't changed my thinking, but when you have been here for three months and you only have two wins on the board it's a bit of a concern," he said. "I have stayed mentally strong and you just have to keep believing in your own ability."
Rawiller admits he was on a steep learning curve as he struggled to adjust to the tight racing style of Hong Kong and said he had perhaps got into a comfort zone while dominating the Sydney riding ranks for nearly a decade.
"You get set in your ways a little bit," he said. "I've been king of Sydney for eight years but you come here and you are riding with 15 other blokes that have done similar things where they are from and they know the landscape better than me."
The heavyweight rider's trademark aggression was on show when he went forward from wide draws on his winners, who both went back-to-back and have the look of progressive performers.
Contentment took the eight point rise to the top of Class Four in his stride, and after missing the start and looping the field on debut, worked his way to just behind the lead at his second start before putting his rivals away in a stylish manner.
"I think he is a very nice horse, I didn't have to ask him for much to get across from the gate and he just dropped the bit as soon as we got in for cover," Rawiller said. "Every time you asked him for a little more effort he gave you a bit more."
Pablosky goes into Class Two and his trainer is readjusting his opinion of the Italian import after the rising four-year-old worked hard to get to the front and then showed tenacity to hang on from a closing Great Sky.
"That shows me he could be progressive, that he was still able to finish off like that. We might try him over 1,650m on the dirt now," Moore said.
Rawiller had ridden Pablosky previously and agreed with the trainer's assessment that he could go higher.
"The penny has just started to drop and that's why he has managed to win a couple in a row," he said.
"Gradually he will gain confidence. He is a funny horse, he has a few tricks - it's his way or the highway."
