It is not unusual for James McDonald to be aboard most of the favourites on any Saturday, but as the autumn carnival hopefuls return there is extra significance to his rides on King’s Gambit and Golden Mile at Rosehill.
The premier jockey will be in the saddle of the best stock going around for the next couple of months here and in Hong Kong, where he rides Beautyverse in the Classic Mile on Sunday, and decisions have to be made for the major races in March and April.
James McDonald punches the air after winning the Caulfield Guineas on Golden Mile last spring.Credit:Getty
King’s Gambit is the $6 Golden Slipper favourite on the back of his easy win in the Debutant Stakes at Caulfield in the spring, and McDonald will have his first race ride on him in the Canonbury Stakes (1100m).
The I Am Invincible colt is $1.35 with the bookmakers to dispose of his four rivals, including another debut winner, Red Resistance, and Shinzo, which is a first-starter from the Chris Waller yard in the group 3.
But McDonald will be comparing King’s Gambit to last Saturday’s impressive juvenile winner Don Corleone and others looking towards the Golden Slipper.
“There is an expectation with him, but he is obviously very good,” McDonald said of King’s Gambit “It will be interesting to see where he fits in.
“It is a small but select field and a good test for him with a penalty.”
Golden Mile is one of McDonald’s nine group 1 winners this season from when he hopped on him in the Caulfield Guineas. He gave the Astern colt a spin around Godolphin’s Agnes Banks last week in preparation for the group 2 Expressway Stakes over 1200m, where he is a $2.20 favourite.
“He felt super and sharp,” McDonald said. “He has shown his quality in the spring, and this race has been a good one for three-year-olds in the past.
“He is the sort of colt that is going to get better into the carnival, but he is ready for the Expressway.”
McDonald will have many options in the next couple of months and will have to live by his decisions.
“It is just a matter of getting on the right horse at the right time,” said McDonald, who rode superstar Anamoe and Flight Stakes winner Zougotcha at the Rosehill barrier trials on Friday.
McDonald is in demand around the world and will ride Beautyverse, which won the SA Derby as Jungle Mandate last year, in two lead-ups before the Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin on March 19, the day after the Golden Slipper.
“He is going to get better as they step up to the Derby trip, but I’m really looking forward to being on him on Sunday,” McDonald said. “It will be good to be with him right through to the Derby.”
Meanwhile, Racing NSW stewards allowed Tommy Berry to stand down from riding immediately on Friday and he will not fill engagements at Rosehill and the Sapphire Coast this weekend.
Berry confirmed to stewards that he wouldn’t be taking rides until further notice. He had been riding under a stay of proceedings pending an appeal on an11½-month ban for taking a consideration from a punter and a further four-week suspension for using his phone in the jockeys room.
The appeal has been set for March 1.
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