Nash Rawiller was positively animated when he returned aboard Joku this morning at Flemington. "Fantastic, really couldn't be happier with him," he said after he had ridden the gelding in a strong piece of work over 1400m. He added, "I couldn't fault him on Saturday morning but that was even better".  Joku appears to be thriving in Melbourne and I expect another bold showing from him at Kilmore on Sunday.

Back in Sydney rain, rain and more rain. Training the horses has to continue and even though everything is washed away and the dirt track is sealed we get around it.

American starter Ken continues to work well with my three lads Heath, Steve and Graham. It's always hard to change old habits but I'm sure at the end of the day they will be much happier and safer working with the horses in the barriers.

Everything paceworked which is normal practice when the dirt is sealed. A great pair were the two Star horses Silent Destiny - El Moxie/Destiny and Adira - Snippetson/Save Me a Dance.

April in Venice is a truly beautiful filly by champion sire More Than Ready. Her sparring partner was the speedy but very capable Danehill Dancer filly Chinkara Dancer who can sometimes just want to get on with the job but with the assistance of a heavier rider on board the young filly will settle and relax.

Fit and Ready - More Than Ready/Fitting and Chic and Easy - Flying Spur/Lake Susannah have great attitudes and are two lovely fillies.    

Of the older horses Once Were Wild was Mark's best. Singo was terribly excited about her racing on Friday at Canterbury and he and Mark Carnegie, who he normally meets for work might take leave from the office and shoot out to Canterbury to watch his filly race as neither have seen this winner of two from three in action.  

I can't understand Racing NSW holding this Friday meeting. There is no one at the track and it's really quite disappointing. It the races were on a Sunday families could come and people looking to do thngs over the weekend with their kids. The meeting could also coincide with the Melbourne races. I'm sure the TAB would hold more gambling dollars and at the end of the day they'd be doing a better job.