Jockey Brad Rawiller will renew his association with Playwright who is searching for his first win in more than year in the Group Two Blamey Stakes at Flemington.Rawiller takes the reins again on Saturday after the four-year-old's regular jockey Steven King was suspended for careless riding at Flemington last weekend.Rawiller has had four rides on Playwright and partnered him to victory in the Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation Plate (1410m) at Flemington in January last year.Playwright's last win was
Jockey Brad Rawiller will renew his association with Playwright who is searching for his first win in more than year in the Group Two Blamey Stakes at Flemington.
Rawiller takes the reins again on Saturday after the four-year-old's regular jockey Steven King was suspended for careless riding at Flemington last weekend.
Rawiller has had four rides on Playwright and partnered him to victory in the Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation Plate (1410m) at Flemington in January last year.
Playwright's last win was the Group Three CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington when ridden by apprentice Sebastian Murphy in February 2008.
Last spring the son of Fantastic Light was unplaced at all four runs but two encouraging performances this campaign give trainer Steve Richards' confidence that the gelding is returning to the form of last autumn when he was third in the Group One Australian Guineas and second in the Group Two Alster Clark Stakes.
"He has come back a different horse," Richards said.
"He just wasn't there in the spring but he's the real Playwright now."
First-up Playwright was beaten a length when fourth to Red Element in the Listed Doveton Stakes (1100m) on February 8 and he was beaten a similar margin when third to Time Matters and Marching in the Group Three Carlyon Cup (1400m) on February 21.
Last year's 1600m Blamey winner, The Fuzz, also finished third in the Carlyon.
Richards said Playwright, who has won three of his 16 starts, was close to another win and that he worked strongly on the course proper at Flemington on Tuesday morning.
"He's going terrific," Richards said.
Playwright is among 19 entries for the Blamey with the headline nominations being Cox Plate runner-up Zipping and stablemate C'est La Guerre who finished third to Viewed and Bauer in the Melbourne Cup.
Both horses haven't raced since the spring and owner Lloyd Williams will make a decision later in the week about whether either or both start in the race.
He has also nominated Renewable and Tindal for the event.
Other entries include Tasmanian star Conquering, who has won his last five starts, Annenkov, Barlinnie, Largo Lad, Marching, Mentality, Orange County, Rockpecker, Time Matters and Villain.