Premier jockey James McDonald feared he had broken his collarbone when tossed from a horse on the way to the gates at Canterbury on Friday night.
“My physio and masseuse came around to my house at 10pm and left at midnight,” McDonald told The Mail.
“I aggravated the rotator cuff. It’s tender around there and it’s still throbbing. There was no structural damage, but I was worried at the time. I thought I’d broken the collarbone because my arm went numb.”
McDonald will take a break after next Saturday’s Christmas Eve meeting to spend time with his family, including newborn daughter, Evie.
“Which is why I was keen to ride today – I want to punch through the next two meetings before taking eight or nine days off and then head to Queensland [for the Magic Millions],” McDonald said.
The hoop picked up an early winning double at Randwick but has big hopes for two-year-old Snapback, an $825,000 colt that started odds-on in the opening race and finished second.
“He got a little bit lost in front, but he’ll be a beauty; he’s a stakes-quality horse for sure,” he said.
Stewards crack the whip
Punters were split on Invincible Caviar – Black Caviar’s fifth foal – winning the cash on protest at Flemington after the stewards lodged their own appeal and upheld it.
Invincible Caviar and My Yankee Girl finished in a dead-heat up the Flemington straight, but the stipes had other ideas and grilled jockey Blake Shinn for excessive whip use on My Yankee Girl.
The result will add fuel to the debate on penalties for jockeys – and connections – for excessive whip use.
Purton will return to Sydney to retire, not ride
There were whispers floating around Randwick that top jockey Zac Purton was about to pull the pin on Hong Kong and return home.
Imagine how strong the Sydney riding ranks would be with Purton taking on the likes of James McDonald, Hugh Bowman, Tommy Berry, Brenton Avdulla and Kerrin McEvoy.
But Purton, who turns 40 next month, said that when he did return at some stage next year, most likely the winter months, he would be retiring – not racing.
Strict living conditions during COVID in Hong Kong, and the pain associated with battling 17 different fractures in the past year alone, has taken its toll.
Purton wants to start watching his beloved Sydney Roosters and Sydney Swans again. He wants to work on his golf handicap. He wants to get his kids involved in sport and be with loved ones he has barely seen since moving to Honkers 16 years ago.
Purton is renovating his palatial home in Clovelly, which will be ready by the time he returns.
Given that his main rival over the years, Joao Moreira, recently retired, expect a couple of Sydney riders to eye a move the other way.
“As a sportsman, I have a shelf life, and I’d prefer to go out on top,” Purton told The Mail.
“There’s no reason I can’t keep going. I’m at the top of my game, but [wife] Nicole has sacrificed a lot in terms of seeing her family, so it’s only fair at some stage before everyone gets too old we can enjoy quality time with everyone.
“When I’m back in Sydney, it will be to enjoy the good life, not ride.”
Crockett the Highway man
Cameron Crockett achieved the feat of having his three runners finish first across the line in the Highway race at Randwick.
Super Extreme defeated stablemates Titration and Indicative, the latter being the horse Crockett thought was his best hope.
The Mail could only recall Matt Dunn achieving the same Highway feat back in 2017 with Bronzed Venom, Cascata Rossa and Dia De Reyes.
Crockett said he had finished first and third in a Highway, including Ori On Fire, which was his first-ever Randwick winner, and landed a family trifecta at Orange when his runners finished first and third and his late father, Max, prepared the runner-up.
Eighth Immortal gets cash
Andrew Johns did not have a penny on Eight Immortal, which registered his third win from 28 career starts at Moree.
“I wish I was gelded like the horse – it would have saved me some heartache,” quipped Joey.
One To Watch
It would have been one hell of a training performance by Chris Waller if Vowmaster had got the cash first up after 610 days off.
Vowmaster fell just short of Our Bellagio Miss, which started a juicy $61 with the bookies.
“He had niggles with his suspensories and went through a proper rehab to get right,” said Waller, who was happy to dream big with his five-year-old next autumn, including a race like The Galaxy.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
