Godophin and McDonald set for big Caulfield Guineas day

McDonald
James McDonald is set for a big outing on Caulfield Guineas day this Saturday

JAMES McDonald is riding in career-best form this season and is looking forward to an impressive book of rides for Godolphin at Caulfield on Saturday.

McDonald will ride the likes of Impending, Chetwood and Furnaces for Godolphin, but whilst he admits riding on Caulfield Guineas day is a dream, he wishes he could be in Sydney as well to ride Honeywine in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes.

“I would love to be up here (Sydney) for Honeywine in the Spring Champion (Stakes). He was so good in the Gloaming Stakes and he has just kept improving,” McDonald said.

“You can’t be at both meetings and Caulfield Guineas day is one of the days you dream of riding at and I want to be there every year.

“There is only the one group one in Sydney, where we have a couple of great chances in Honeywine and Retaliation, but I have Impending in the Guineas, which is a fair ride, and several others for John (O’Shea), which are good chances.”

McDonald had planned on riding Astern in the Caulfield Guineas, but he will instead ride Stan Fox Stakes winner Impending which is the current $4.40 favourite at Sportsbet.

“I have to say he isn’t the horse I thought I would be riding but he is still favourite and that tells you a fair bit about him,” McDonald said. “To have a back-up like him, it shows how good our three-year-olds are going.

“I went into the Stan Fox confident that he would run a good race but he surprised me with how he did. He had the blinkers on for the first time and just relaxed and took himself into the race and they really switched him on what he sprinted.

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“He ran past a very good horse in Divine Prophet, which is one of the ones to beat in the Guineas, and held him.

“I think he is going to be at his best at the mile and there should be enough speed for him to show his talent.”

McDonald believes the blinkers will help Honeywine which will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla.

“You saw the difference they made with Impending and he is a horse that will get the same benefit from them in that they will focus him,” McDonald said. “It would be good if we can knock off both group ones.

“We have been having a good run in these group ones, Hauraki and Hartnell last week.”

Honeywine is at $11 with Sportsbet for the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes whilst stablemate Retaliation is currently paying $19.

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