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By Ray Hickson

Experience from his first ride on Think It Over gives jockey Nash Rawiller some cause for concern over the gelding’s ability to win Saturday’s Group 1 $600,000 TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) on a heavy track at Randwick.

Jockey Nash Rawiller (Pic: Steve Hart)

But that was almost 18 months ago and since then Rawiller has become the regular rider of Kerry Parker’s gelding and watched his star rise quickly to be one of the nation’s top weight-for-age performers.

That’s why the jockey is prepared to give Think It Over the benefit of the doubt.

“I rode him one day 18 months ago on a wet track and he didn’t perform at all,’’ Rawiller said.

“I think he’s gone to a new level since so I’m hoping it doesn’t cause too much problems.

“He’s a jockey’s dream really. There’s no complications with him so it does make you more confident going into a race.

“When you’ve got things against you it helps you overcome them.”

Last autumn Think It Over won the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes on a soft 7, while he was beaten under a length in third place in the spring in the Group 1 George Main, also on a soft 7, over the Randwick mile.

The failure Rawiller refers to came in the Rosehill Gold Cup on Golden Eagle Day in 2020, when it rained for much of the afternoon so there’s a case to forgive that performance.

After winning four of his six starts during a lucrative spring, Think It Over returned with a dominant 2-3/4 length win in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) two weeks ago and if Randwick was good again this Saturday you’d imagine he’d be favourite and not $3.60 second TAB elect (as at Thursday).

Rawiller expected him to run well but after two quiet trials leading in he was quite taken by the win.

“I never really tested him (in the trials) so it keeps you guessing a little bit but under race conditions it was probably one of his most impressive wins,’’ he said.

“I thought that there would be an opportunity for something to swamp us a bit late but he kept the gallop up right to the line and couldn’t have been more impressive.”

A wet track won’t worry Four Moves Ahead, Rawiller’s ride in the Group 1 $500,000 Drinkwise Surround Stakes (1400m) and he warned not to count her first-up defeat against her.

After leading, the filly weakened to beat just one home behind Fangirl in the Light Fingers and the jockey concedes the tactics backfired.

“I wouldn’t take too much notice of her first-up run, going forward with the blinkers didn’t work at all,’’ he said.

“She’ll love the wet. I’ll probably be forced to go back and ride for luck but her turn of foot is really good given that scenario. I think it would give her the best chance.”

Think It Over wins the Apollo Stakes

Four Moves Ahead won the Tea Rose Stakes on a soft 6 in the spring, she was $26 with TAB on Thursday.

Among his other rides, Rawiller is looking forward to partnering Godolphin galloper Gravina for the first time under race conditions in the Garvan Institute Sprint (1200m).

Gravina has been gelded since his spring campaign which saw him placed in all four starts and was a beaten favourite in the last three. But Rawiller said gelding might well do the trick if how he felt in his recent trial at Gosford is any pointer.

“I was stoked with the last 100m of his trial, it showed he’s come back in terrific order,’’ he said.

“He just seems like he can really go on with the job.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting