Over the next few days we will provide our wrap of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival feature races plus The Everest and Golden Eagle from Sydney Racing. We do this with an eye on the Autumn Racing Carnivals that will be on us before you know it in Melbourne Racing and Sydney Racing. So keep an eye out over the next few days as we provide the review of the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup, Oaks, Derby and McKinnon Stakes as well as the Melbourne Cup. We also take a look at The Everest and Golden Eagle from the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
Today lets take a look at Australia’s record breaking Sydney jockey “J-Mac” James McDonald.
James J-MAC McDonald breaks Cup week winners record
The Melbourne Cup Week Carnival threw up the normal debate over which state hosts the countries best jockeys. So the Melbourne Racing Tips Cup Carnival week had the Sydney jockeys exempted from quarantine and headed down south to take on the Melbourne jockeys. And the question was answered very quickly as the star jockey of Australian racing emerged. A new record was created as the star jock of Australian racing chalked up an unbelievable 10 winners over the Flemington Carnival.
This surpassed the record of his child hood hero Brett Prebble (9 winners). In reality the massive spring began for McDonald winning the Sydney Racing Tips The Everest aboard start sprinter Nature Strip. His luck did look to have come to an end though when he elected to travel to Melbourne and isolate only to have his Cox Plate ride the hot fav Zaaki scratched on race morning.
Then to have his Melbourne Cup ride, overseas import Away He Goes ruled out of the Melbourne cup left him without a ride. These are the swings and roundabouts of racing and why a positive attitude MUST be maintained at all times in this game. To dwell on the loss only affects the ability for the next winner as J-Mac very well knows and as he was about to find out.
A change of luck for J-Mac
The signals were there early with J-Mac riding the very first winner of the Carnival with Fangirl patiently ridden and storming with a nice win. He buttered it up winning the Melbourne Cup qualifying race (Hotham) with Great House in a beautifully timed ride. He got the horse into the Melbourne Cup but with the 50.5kg weight he was no chance to ride it. He chalked up his first Group 1 for Carnival week when he guided Home Affairs in a faultless display to take out the Coolmore. He topped of Derby Day with a 4th winner Minhaaj in the last. BUT the best part of Derby Day for J-Mac was Waller accepting with the champion mare Verry Elleegant for the Melbourne Cup.
Melbourne Cup Day and Verry Elleegant
We moved to Melbourne Cup day and it took until race 6 for J-Mac to hit the scoreboard. He won the straight race on fav Profiteer giving him a nice confidence boost leading into the great race. A childhood dream was realised a little over an hour later as he piloted the star mare Verry Ellegaant to his first Melbourne Cup success. Perhaps the most telling part of what was to come over the remainder of the Melbourne Cup Week Carnival was his post race interview when asked how was he going to celebrate. He baulked and said “I am only interested in getting the next two days of the Carnival right and then I can relax.” It shows a MASSIVE commitment to his craft and as an owner that’s exactly what you want to hear.
The 3rd day of the Carnival was Oaks Day saw another double go the way of J-Mac. He took out a rating 90 event on Djukon who he rode brilliantly and chalked up the double with Esponia who looks to be a real future star of racing.
This took us to the last day of the Melbourne Cup Week Carnival with Saturday Stakes Day. Needing 2 winners to go past the Brett Prebble record of 9 winners over Melbourne Cup week, he did it in the most stunning way. He won both Group 1s on with Nature Strip destroying them in the Group 1 Darley. And it was a fitting way to get the record aboard the very horse who was scratched preventing his Cox Plate shot as Zaaki stormed away to win the McKinnon Stakes. This brings up the 10th winner and a great post race hug as second placegetter Cascadian had Prebble in the saddle it was a fitting way to “hand over” the baton.
James McDonald Melbourne Cup Week Winners
Weeks come no better than this a fitting Melbourne Spring for Australia’s best Jockey:
* Great House
* Home Affairs
* Fangirl
* Minhaaj
* Verry Ellegant
* Profiteer
* Esponia
* Djukon
* Zaaki
* Nature Strip
Tomorrow we feature the Victorian Derby and Melbourne Cup results
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