James McDonald eyes Golden Slipper glory and Sydney premiership
Fresh off his stint in Hong Kong, champion jockey James McDonald is now setting his sights on conquering the 2024 Golden Slipper and securing his Sydney Premiership title.
He has a schedule with six rides at Randwick on Saturday.
Another six at Canterbury on Friday night, all in an effort to close the gap between him and the current leaders Nash Rawiller and Tyler Schiller.
Despite being away from Sydney racing for a while, McDonald remains optimistic about his chances.
He is surprised to find himself trailing by just 11 wins in the Jockey Premiership race. McDonald, who will be turning 32 this Friday, is eager to add victories to his record of seven Group 1 wins this season.
He’s particularly excited about the challenge of finding a two-year-old horse for the upcoming Golden Slipper race, an event he last won back in 2013 with Mossfun.
In addition to his ambitions for the Golden Slipper, McDonald is also confident in the abilities of Fangirl, a mare who has delivered two Group 1 triumphs under his guidance during the spring season.
He believes that this five-year-old horse can continue her form and shine in the autumn season as well. Among McDonald’s rides at Randwick on Saturday is Cadetship, a gelding trained by Chris Waller.
Cadetship has shown promise in races.
It is expected that stepping up in distance for the Precise Air Handicap (1500m) will work to its advantage. With a group of horses supporting him, McDonald is ready to make a comeback on the Sydney racing scene.
His goal is to win races and establish himself as one of the best jockeys in the country.
James McDonanld is currently paying +220 with the top horse betting sites to claim the 2023/2024 Sydney Metropolitan Jockey Premiership.