In the past year, James McDonald has had some big days – the Everest, the Melbourne Cup and the Kings Stand – but winning on two of the best horses in the world within 45 minutes at Randwick on Saturday sits right up there.
McDonald has ridden Verry Elleegant to success on the first Tuesday in November, been in the saddle for Nature Strip at his best in the three TJ Smiths, two Darley Sprint Classics and The Everest. They were big moments, but not great days.
“How good that was that,” McDonald said after Nature Strip joined Anamoe in stamping himself as the best in his field in the country.
James McDonald has a look over his shoulder on Anamoe in the George Main Stakes.Credit:Getty
“You don’t get to ride two horses that are in the top five in the world too often, yet alone within an hour.
“They just put on a show.”
So did McDonald, who equalled his Sydney best with five winners.
Anamoe ($1.65 fav) sat outside the leader and crushed his rivals in the group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m), then the world’s best sprinter, Nature Strip ($2.40 fav), came out and dominated the group 2 The Shorts (1100m).
Nature Strip races like he looks these days: he is a beast. He turned away his Everest rivals in uncharacteristic fashion by taking a sit and then sprinting best to win.
“It has taken four years, but he has become my best mate,” McDonald said. “Who would have ever thought Nature Strip would take a sit and do that.
“He is super cool and super controlled. That’s what you get when you finally see Nature Strip deliver on his talent.
“After I rode Anamoe, I thought you are going to have to be pretty good to be better than him.
“But I have been looking forward for to this for a couple of weeks and he didn’t let anyone down.
“That was awesome.”
Nature Strip won by 1½ length from Overpass ($15), which surely earned a place in The Everest. Lost And Running ($10) was a nose away in third.
McDonald returns to scale on Nature Strip after The Shorts.Credit:Getty
“That should be enough to get him into The Everest,” managing owner Scott Darby said of Overpass.
Trainer John O’Shea was all smiles after Lost And Running came down the outside for third to be marked the $7 second favourite for The Everest.
“He was better than last year and we are right on track a month out,” O’Shea said.
The 2020 Everest winner Classique Legend will not be back this year. Trainer Les Bridge told stewards the big grey would be spelled after failing to beat a runner home and pulling up lame.
McDonald had won the Tea Rose Stakes on Zougotcha ($1.95 fav) and steered Mahagoni ($2.45 fav) to victory before the festure George Main Stakes with Anamoe.
The Godolphin star took his fifth group 1 in commanding fashion at a mile with the promise of more to come.
“There is a bit of improvement left there,” said McDonald after Anamoe’s three-quarters of a length win from Icebath ($13) and Hinged ($10).
“That might not have been a big margin, but it was the way the race was run. They went slow and not any horse can sprint home quick off that sort of tempo.
“He is going to get better when they go to 2000m because his turn of foot will still be there and he will hold longer than anything else.
“He hops away and goes to sleep. He conserves energy like no other horse. He does enough to get past them and he’ll do enough to hold them at bay.
“He’s just so economical, and I think that’s the beauty of a top-class horse on display. You know you can do anything with them and they overcome hurdles.”
McDonald complete his stellar afternoon by winning the last on Brigantine ($6 eq fav)in the Godolphin blue silks, which were also carried to victory by dual Derby placegetter Alegron in the Kingston Town Stakes under Rachel King.
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