James McDonald

More Queensland success for Kukeracha

Posted on May 27, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

Two years after taking out the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm, the Kiwi-bred Kukeracha returned to the same Eagle Farm meeting on Saturday and landed another big prize over the same course and distance. The Chris Waller-trained five-year-old prevailed in a tight finish to the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2400m), taking his[...]

Posted on May 26, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

Trainer Chris Waller has a stranglehold on Saturday’s Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) with a two-pronged attack, headed by $1.70 favourite Kovalica and impressive last-start winner Special Swey ($9.50). A son of Ocean Park, Kovalica has long been set for the $1 million feature. The winner of five of his eight starts, Kovalica won the[...]

Posted on May 20, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

The Chris Waller-trained Frumos has aggravated many a punter over her career, but if those same punters followed her into her first Group level contest of her career in the Pam O’Neill Stakes, they were rewarded for their loyalty. The four-year-old mare has been heavily backed at all bar one of her starts during her[...]

Posted on May 6, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

All eyes were on the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki in the Group 2 A.D. Hollindale Stakes, as the eight-year-old gelding was aiming to bring up his third straight victory in the race, and that is exactly what he did. James McDonald had to make up his mind rather quickly on the odds-on favourite with online bookmakers,[...]

Posted on May 1, 2023
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

They came, they saw and they were well and truly conquered in the Sha Tin sunshine as Romantic Warrior confirmed himself among the world’s elite with a commanding second consecutive success in the Group 1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m). Pandemic restrictions meant Danny Shum’s gelding beat a purely domestic field when landing the HK$25 million[...]

Posted on April 15, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

Bankers Choice and Diamil have fought out the finish in the Group 3 JRA Plate with the latter getting the better of the photo on the winning post. It was a bizarre race turned on it’s head with jockey Regan Bayliss allowing Pride Of Jenni to travel excessively, seeing her lead a whopping 15 lengths[...]

Posted on April 11, 2023
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Bidding to become the first horse in two decades to win successive HK$25 million Group 1 QEII Cup’s (2000m), Romantic Warrior limbered up for his title defence on April 30 with an effortless trial victory at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning. Partnered by Zac Purton, Romantic Warrior jumped cleanly from barrier 10 in the 1600m[...]

Posted on April 8, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

Godolphin’s Aft Cabin bounced back from a couple of poor showings in recent times to salutes in Saturday’s Group 3 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint. Despite being last out of the gates and being forced to settle at the rear of the field, the progressive three-year-old colt relished the genuine tempo set by a keen Kote. Aft[...]

Posted on March 20, 2023
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Lucky Sweynesse collected his second Group 1 crown in as many starts at Sha Tin on Sunday as he reeled in a brave California Spangle to lift the HK$12 million Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m). Ridden by fly-in rider James McDonald for trainer Manfred Man, Lucky Sweynesse broke cleanly against four rivals to[...]

Posted on March 18, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

After electing to head the way of the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes with Anamoe as opposed to the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes, James Cummings and James McDonald will be breathing a sigh of relief after clinging on to victory. Anamoe showed his champion qualities to secure his ninth Group 1 win on Saturday afternoon[...]

Posted on March 11, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

Punters just kept continuing to launch into Zougotcha ($1.50) for the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes and she justified the support with a dominant win over the 1500m. Trainer Chris Waller elected to take the easier option for connections, scratching from the Group 1 Coolmore Classic earlier in the week, seemingly paying dividends on Saturday.[...]

Posted on March 11, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

The William Haggas stable have stamped their mark on the autumn as they have in the past with Protagonist winning first-up in the Sky High Stakes at Rosehill. The European raider was given a terrific steer as James McDonald brought up a treble in the seventh race on the program. He was able to find[...]

Posted on March 11, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

Team Coolmore has another runner heading into next weekends Group 1 Golden Slipper, as Shinzo proved too good for the boys in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday. This of course comes after Learning To Fly booked her ticket earlier in the preparation. James McDonald elected to go back to last[...]

Posted on March 6, 2023
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Backers of New Zealand sprinter Imperatriz were almost counting their winnings with 100m to go in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday, but it was not to be. The Mark Walker-trained mare was backed into favouritism for the Sydney feature following her dominant form in New Zealand where she had won[...]

Posted on March 4, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

James Cummings and the Godolphin team have yet another Golden Slipper fancy, with Cylinder getting the better of the pre-race Golden Slipper second favourite, Red Resistance in the Group 2 Todman Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Going into the traditional Group 2 lead-up for the Golden Slipper for the colts and geldings, both the winner[...]

Posted on February 25, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

The superstar colt Anamoe has made it eight career Group 1 wins after destroying his rivals in the Chipping Norton Stakes on Saturday afternoon. He was a little bit slower away today after box seating in the Apollo Stakes first-up but it simply didn’t matter as James McDonald pulled him out with 400m to go[...]

Posted on February 11, 2023
in Australian Horse Racing News

The Moe’ is back. After a spring campaign that saw this champion four-year-old claim four Group 1 victories, including a redemption in Cox Plate success. Anamoe has return in superb order for James Cummings to win first-up in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes. James McDonald was cool, calm and collected from the wider draw, pressing[...]

More Queensland success for Kukeracha

Kovalica heads strong Waller hand in Queensland Derby

Frumos back to winning ways in Group 3 Pam O’Neill Stakes

Zaaki proves a class above in strong Hollindale Stakes victory

Warrior puts global rivals to the sword in dominant FWD QEII Cup win

Diamil gets the head down in jaw dropping JRA Plate

Romantic Warrior sharpens up for QEII Cup with strong trial

Aft Cabin bounces back with impressive Arrowfield 3YO Sprint win

Lucky Sweynesse stars with Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup success

Anamoe bags ninth Group 1 win after brave George Ryder success

Class Prevails as Zougotcha dominates rivals in Phar Lap Stakes

Protagonist out stays his opposition in Sky High victory

Shinzo impresses in Pago Pago Stakes

Imperatriz denied perfect Australian start

Cylinder proves too tough in Group 2 Todman Stakes

Anamoe makes a mess of them in Chipping Norton Stakes

Anamoe doesn’t miss a beat in Apollo Stakes win

Chances are you’re about to lose.