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Champion jockey James McDonald will close out his riding year in Hong Kong but remains focused on claiming another Sydney jockeys premiership when he returns.<\/p>\n
The Hong Kong Jockey Club approached McDonald to take up a short-term contract after Hugh Bowman was injured in a fall on Saturday and English jockey Harry Bentley was suspended for two months for misconduct.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always an honour to have the Hong Kong Jockey Club ask you to ride over there and given the timing, it was a great opportunity for me to take it up this time,\u201d McDonald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was going to be there for the International meeting to ride [Cox Plate winner] Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Cup and this just extends the stay by a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a chance to test myself for a short period in Hong Kong. I\u2019ll be back in January [in Sydney], and I\u2019ll be looking to win the premiership again.\u201d<\/p>\n
McDonald had an incredible spring, winning six group 1s including the Cox Plate and Victoria Derby-Oaks double. He had planned a short break in December, but will now ride through to the New Year.<\/p>\n
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Leading Sydney jockey James McDonald.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n He will represent New Zealand in the International Jockeys Challenge at Happy Valley on December 6, where Rachel King has been chosen as Australia\u2019s representative.<\/p>\n The star factor McDonald provides played a big role in the offer after Bowman was ruled out for up to eight weeks after he fractured his right scapula and three vertebrae in a fall at Sha Tin on Saturday.<\/p>\n Hong Kong punters love to follow the big names and McDonald will be seen as good for betting turnover.<\/p>\n McDonald will not ride in Sydney again this year after he had to stand down from Wednesday\u2019s Rosehill meeting because of a case of influenza. He hopes to be back on Saturday to add to his group 1 tally at Caulfield, where he is booked to ride the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar in the Thousand Guineas.<\/p>\n The Zoustar filly was a $950,000 Easter yearling purchase and has put it together as a spring three-year-old.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter she ran second to Arctic Glamour in the Reginald Allen, we targeted this race because she looks like a miler,\u201d Waller said. \u201cSince we have taken her down to Melbourne she has thrived and she has finally got a good draw on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure she will run a strong mile, and we have James to make sure she gets the right run.\u201d<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\nMost Viewed in Sport<\/h2>\n
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