Jockeys’ premiership battle set to intensify at Rosehill

James Mcdonald and Nash Rawiller will continue their premiership arm wrestle at Rosehill where both present with strong books of rides.

Reigning titleholder McDonald sits on 84 Sydney wins this season, three ahead of Rawiller after both added to their respective tallies at Wednesday’s Randwick-Kensington meeting.

McDonald has rides in all 10 races on Saturday including four early favourites, while Rawiller has six mounts, highlighted by the Kris Lees-trained Age Of Sail, the top pick for The Agency Real Estate Handicap (2400m).

With Rawiller to miss the upcoming midweek card due to a whip suspension, he will be on a mission to make a dent in McDonald’s lead at Rosehill before returning for the final two city meetings at Randwick on Saturday week and Warwick Farm on July 31.

However, McDonald is nothing if not competitive.

He has cast his net wide and will link with seven different trainers on Saturday, including Ciaron Maher for whom he has a trio of rides.

Arguably the most interesting is former French mare Sivka Burka who makes her Australian debut in the Schweppes Handicap (1100m).

Unlike most imports, Sivka Burka is a sprinter-miler rather than a stayer and while she is still a work in progress, Maher’s Sydney foreman Johann Gerad-Dubord says she has the class to make her presence felt.

“She used to be very keen in the races in France. She knows how to run, so we have been trying to teach her to relax as much as we can,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“Both trials have been very much about having a good time, a quiet time, trying to get her to switch off, which is why both times we have kept her on the bridle.

“She is a stakes winner in France and if she does everything the right way and relaxes well, she will run very well.”

Sivka Burka is a Listed winner over 1400m in France and has been twice stakes placed over the same journey.

After opening at $11 earlier this week, she was into $8.50 on Thursday with betting apps with Rawiller’s ride in the race, Contemporary, marked at $3.90, second only to in-form filly and $2.30 race favourite In Flight.