By Craig Kerry
A refreshed James McDonald is hoping for clearing skies at Rosehill as he juggles shots at international glory with his bid for a seventh consecutive Sydney jockey premiership.
McDonald is due to return to Sydney racing on Friday night at Canterbury with five bookings a little more than nine weeks since his last rides in town. He then has six chances at Rosehill on Saturday, but that is all subject to the weather.
James McDonald after winning the 2023 Cox Plate on Romantic Warrior.Credit: Getty Images
The Rosehill track is already a soft 7 following wild midweek weather, and more could come on Saturday, putting some runners in doubt.
It was a dampener for McDonald, who has been suspended since Boxing Day for his part in a race fall at Hong Kong. His stints riding there, and trips interstate for major carnivals, meant he had spent little time at home in Sydney before the enforced rest.
“It was a fantastic break,” said McDonald, who was crowned last year again as the world’s best jockey.
“We didn’t go anywhere, just stayed home. We hadn’t been home for three months, so it was nice.”
Another whirlwind schedule kicks off on Saturday night when he catches a late flight to Hong Kong for rides on Sunday, including Voyage Bubble in the group 1 Stewards’ Cup, a race they won last year.
He is then on a midnight flight to Dubai to ride Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior in trackwork leading up to the group 1 Jebel Hatta next weekend. That is the start of the pair’s campaign, taking in races in Saudi Arabia and Japan.
“He steps up every time,” McDonald said of the 2023 Cox Plate winner.
“They don’t come along very often like him. For him to do it in three different countries and now tackling his fourth and fifth soon, it’s a pretty remarkable effort by the horse, and he seems pretty happy with himself.”
The trips will make McDonald’s shot at another Sydney title tougher. Only George Moore, with eight, has a longer winning streak. McDonald, though, holds a 10-win advantage on 46. Asked if the premiership was still a goal, he said: “Of course, especially while I’ve got a bit of a lead.
“I’ll be forfeiting a few meetings, which makes it a bit harder. I’ve got to make the meetings that I am here count.”
With that in mind, he was keeping a close eye on the weather, which could delay the debut of his shortest-priced runner on Saturday, Wodeton.
The Wootton Bassett colt, a $15 chance for the Golden Slipper off two trials, was an odds-on favourite for the two-year-olds race. A $1.6 million yearling, Wodeton could be saved for another day if the track is too wet.
“It would’ve been nice if the weather stayed dry; I would have been a bit more confident,” McDonald said. “Hopefully, it dries out a bit.”
McDonald is on another Chris Waller-trained favourite, Osipenko ($2.60 Sportsbet), in the listed January Cup (2000m).
Osipenko has not won in 21 months but was denied by a bob of the head last start in the Summer Cup.
“He probably thought he won last start, there was only a whisker in it,” McDonald said.
“He’s in really good form and home track, 2000 suits him, give in the ground suits him, so he looks really well placed.”
Cigar Flick and Polyglot were other favourites for McDonald.
“Polyglot is first up and heavy ground is probably a little question mark, but he’s going really well,” he said. “Cigar Flick loves the wet ground, and she’s flying, so she’s a good chance.”
