The late mail day one: Sydney jockey's soft spot for the 'Bool

BACK: Champion jockey Nash Rawiller, who rode three winners at Rosehill on Saturday, April 27, makes a welcome return to the 'Bool this week.

Despite living in Sydney, Rawiller has always had a soft spot for the Warrnambool carnival, especially after riding Gunnamatta to victory in the 2003 Warrnambool Cup. The heavyweight hoop has a handful of rides over the three days.

INTERESTING: With Andrew Jones handing in his resignation as the chief executive at Racing Victoria last Friday, there's plenty of speculation about his replacement.

Former AFL boss Gillon McLachlan is lined up to take over as chairman of RV.

With a few other changes on the RV board, the jungle drums are beating - a familiar face might come back to the CEO job. Let's see if Greg Carpenter makes a return to RV as its CEO.

Carpenter has been the head of racing in Hong Kong for nearly two years and would be an ideal replacement for Jones.

TOUGH: Have to feel for Warrnambool Racing Club track manager Dermott O'Connor and his team in the countdown to the three-day carnival.

O'Connor's workers have watched on as there's been little rain on the famous course for the past month.

They put 20 millimetres of irrigation on the surface in the past two weeks and may have to put more on this week to ensure the track is a soft six for the jumps races.

NEW: A new trophy called the Lady Bay Cup has been added to this week's Warrnambool May Racing Carnival.

The concept for the new competition centres on 'us versus them', which sees local horses and trainers pitted against each other. The winning team will be the group which claims the most winners over the three days.