They have had different breaks from Sydney racing but champion jockeys James McDonald and Nash Rawiller will both return refreshed for the first metropolitan Saturday meeting of 2024 at Randwick.
The pair look likely to fight for the Sydney jockey premiership for the remainder of the season, along with Tyler Schiller, but the focus will be just riding winners for the next couple of months.
James McDonald is back in Sydney for the start of 2024.Credit: Racing Photos / Getty Images
Rawiller and Schiller have 39 winners for the season, Jason Collett has 32, and defending champion McDonald is on 28 after spending the past six weeks in Hong Kong.
“It was just the break I needed,” McDonald said. “Although you’re still riding, it is so different and just has me in the right frame of mind and ready to go in Sydney for this year.
“I feel like I have had a break and really want to get going here again.
“I’m still keen to win the premiership. It’s going to be tough but I want to make the other guys earn it, so I got to get back to riding winners.”
Rawiller took a couple of weeks off to have Christmas with his family and, like McDonald, returns for Canterbury on Friday before backing up at Randwick on Saturday.
“It is just something I have tried to do since I got back from Hong Kong a few years ago. It is good to have a break with the family, and it sets you up for the autumn with a clear head,” Rawiller said.
Nash Rawiller has had a Christmas break.Credit: Getty
“I’m still getting my weight down, but there are a couple of nice rides there to get going again on the weekend.”
Rawiller will be the focus of punters on Saturday when he rides Terra Mater, which is chasing a hat-trick of wins.
“She is only small but she covers a lot of ground with her action,” Rawiller said. “She is a nice mare on her way up and a good one to come back too.
“I just want to get back to riding winners. I have Loch Eagle for the Magic Millions next week, and then the carnival will be here.
“The next month will be about finding the right horse for the bigger races. I’m looking forward to seeing a horse like Celestial Legend back.”
McDonald doesn’t have a standout among his rides this weekend but can look forward to Spywire in the Magic Millions, which he will keep a close eye on in his final lead-up in the Gold Nugget at the Gold Coast.
“I could have gone to ride on the Gold Coast on Saturday, but having been away I just wanted to settle back into Sydney because it is home,” McDonald said. “I’ll watch Spywire and expect he will put himself right in the Magic Millions picture.
“It is a case of just getting back to riding winners now.
“I have good rides, but I’m looking forward to getting on Hellsing for Annabel Neasham. It appeared to barrier trial really well and has really good form over in Ireland.”
Hellsing is a listed winner from the Churchill Stakes and was runner-up in the Goffs Millions behind Galeron, which ran in the Golden Eagle, on a handy benchmark rating 83. He is the second pick in betting at $4.60 behind Cool Jakey for his Australian debut.
McDonald will focus on Sydney for the autumn but will be making frequent trips back to Asia and New Zealand in the next couple of months.
“I will ride Karaka Millions, and there are a couple of trips back to Kong Kong as well,” McDonald said. “I will be back there for [Hong Kong Derby winner] Voyage Bubble later in the month.
“I have got a lot of contacts there from the trip and I’m looking at getting a [Hong Kong] Derby ride.
“There is a chance that Romantic Warrior will go to Japan, so I’ll be doing a bit of travel, but I’ll be in Sydney as much as possible. It’s going to be a big year.
“It is an interesting time here because we are lacking that big star at the moment. I’m looking forward to Fangirl, and the big one could be Giga Kick when he comes back.”
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