LEADING Australian jockey Nash Rawiller has been banned for 15 months after he was found guilty on two charges of receiving cash or gifts for providing tips in respect of horses he rode. He will serve two 15-month suspensions concurrently.

The Hong Kong stewards’ statement commented: “The Racing Stewards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club reacted today to disqualify jockey Nash Rawiller with immediate effect for breaches of the Rules of Racing prohibiting a jockey from having an interest in a bet (Rule 59(3)) and from receiving a benefit for providing tips (Rule 59(2)).”

The stewards also stressed that there was no evidence to suggest Rawiller had ridden “any horse in Hong Kong with the intention other than to obtain the best possible placing for the horse.”

The 43-year-old cannot ride in any jurisdiction around the globe. He did not ride at Happy Valley on Wednesday and will not be able to ride at Sha Tin at tomorrow’s big meeting.

“Overseas racing authorities will be notified of the Racing Stewards’ decision and the penalties imposed for the purposes of international reciprocation according to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) International Agreement,” the Hong Kong authorities commented further.

“The Club’s handling of this matter demonstrates the expert nature and strength of the Club’s systems for the prevention and detection of breaches of the Rules of Racing, and our unwavering resolve to ensure the highest standards of the integrity in Hong Kong racing,” said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing.

Rawiller has spent the past four seasons in Hong Kong with his biggest win on Mr Stunning in the Hong Kong International Sprint last year, a horse which he was to ride in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize tomorrow.

Purton’s Sha Tin double

JOCKEY Zac Purton will enter one of Hong Kong racing’s biggest weeks on the calendar in top form, having scored a double aboard promising three-year-olds Handsome Bo Bo and Ugly Warrior at Sha Tin last Saturday.

Purton, who ended the card with two wins, three seconds and two thirds from nine rides, was cautious about the merit of Handsome Bo Bo’s win in the Class 3 Beyond Arts Appreciation Handicap (six furlongs), despite a three and a half-length success. It was the Helmet gelding’s third win in a row, his second by a wide margin.

“He got a very soft lead today and that was key – once they all took a sit behind me, that was that,” Purton said. “He’s been flattered a couple of times now, so you probably don’t want to get too carried away, but he’s doing a good job.”

RECORD

Two races later, Ugly Warrior took his record to four wins from five starts with an effortless win for Purton in the Class 3 Age-Friendly City Handicap (six furlongs) on dirt. The Me Tsui-trained son of Swiss Ace justified his status as even-money favourite, racing clear for a two and three-quarter-length victory over Elite Boy.

“He was good again,” the rider said. “He won it at the start today, he broke much cleaner and he was there pretty comfortably.”

With 23 meetings left in the 88-date Hong Kong racing season, Purton trails Joao Moreira by 11 wins in the title race, 96 to 85.

TRACK RECORD

Earlier in the card, Glorious Artist lowered the nine furlong dirt course record significantly when taking the Class 3 Force For Good Handicap over the Sha Tin all-weather track.

Glorious Artist had won two races on the Wolverhampton Tapeta track last year when trained by Charlie Hills.

Taking to the dirt for the first time, the Frankie Lor-trained Glorious Artist took up a handy position under Nash Rawiller, with 10-pound claimer Victor Wong ensuring a furious pace aboard leader Gran Master.

Tracking up nicely just behind the speed, Glorious Artist produced plenty to hold off the Caspar Fownes-trained Royal Performer by three quarters of a length.

Glorious Artist’s time of 1m 46.68s shaved four-tenths of a second off the previous track record, which had been set by the Fownes-trained Vanilla almost a year ago to the day.