James McDonald

Champion mare helps alleviate Bishara’s lockdown blues

Posted on September 18, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Auckland’s extended lockdown is wearing thin with trainer Nick Bishara but the anticipation of another big weekend of racing is giving him some respite. Bishara will have to be content watching the action from home as his star mare Verry Elleegant looks to add to her tally of eight Group One wins in Saturday’s AUD$1[...]

Posted on September 13, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Nominations for the Australian Racehorse of the Year awards were announced by Racing NSW on Friday, with the champion horses set to be revealed on October 11.

Posted on September 13, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Star colt Anamoe made a successful start to his spring campaign on Saturday, defeating In The Congo by half a length to take out the Run to the Rose at Kembla Grange in New South Wales, Australia.

Posted on September 10, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Saturday’s Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Kembla Grange may not have been the starting point Entriviere’s connections originally had in mind this spring, but the change of plans may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the exciting Kiwi mare. The daughter of Tavistock had previously been entered to kick off in[...]

Posted on September 6, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Star Australian sprinter Nature Strip bucked his first-up trend in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes on Saturday, coasting away to win by 2.5 lengths over 1000m at Royal Randwick.

Posted on September 6, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Cox Plate favourite Zaaki resumed in Saturday’s Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick in ultra-impressive fashion, winning by over a length to extend his winning streak to four.

Posted on August 16, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Leading Australian jockey James McDonald has a tricky decision to make heading into the Spring Racing Carnival, with champion mare Verry Elleegant likely to clash with up-and-coming superstar Zaaki in the George Main Stakes on September 18.

Posted on August 3, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Australian sprinter Rothfire looks to have made a full recovery from an injury that has kept him off the racetrack for nearly 12 months, as he set the turf alight in his first trial back on Tuesday morning at Doomben in Brisbane, Queensland.

Posted on July 28, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Two of Australia's top jockeys, Hugh Bowman and James McDonald, have each been fined $1,000 over a breach of the Queensland Government’s health directions whilst in North Queensland on July 1.

Posted on July 6, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Triple Group 1 winner Avilius has been retired, with the seven-year-old gelding set to join Godolphin’s Lifetime Care program.

Posted on May 30, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

The Chris Waller-trained Kukeracha prevailed in a driving finish to the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) to down stablemate Senor Toba with triple Derby hero Explosive Jack finishing a game third. Bred in New Zealand by Dr Chris Phillips, who is the resident vet at Waikato Stud, Kukeracha came from midfield under a well-timed James[...]

Posted on May 25, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Zaaki has been crunched into $4.20 favouritism for the 2021 Cox Plate after a devastating win in Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup in Brisbane.

Posted on April 28, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

It may only have been a Benchmark 72 on a Wednesday, but leading Australian jockey James McDonald couldn’t have been more impressed with The Move after his win in the fourth race at Warwick Farm in Sydney.

Posted on April 15, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Nicholas Bishara would love nothing more than to be trackside at Randwick to watch his star mare Verry Elleegant contest Saturday’s $A4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). But the South Auckland trainer is mindful that any sudden COVID-19 outbreak could see the reintroduction of enforced 14-day quarantine periods that would stretch his business[...]

Posted on April 14, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Leading Sydney jockey James McDonald can’t wait to hop back aboard Verry Elleegant and act out their revenge against Addeybb in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday. The pair finished second to the European import in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and Queen Elizabeth last year, and while Verry[...]

Posted on April 10, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

Nature Strip has regained his mantle as Australia’s premier sprinter, making a one-act affair of the T J Smith Stakes for the second year in succession. But while he dictated terms and outsprinted his rivals 12 months ago, it was a more complete horse who lined up on Saturday. Fierce-going for much of his career,[...]

Posted on April 10, 2021
in Australian Horse Racing News

James Cummings was left wondering what might have been after Anamoe’s slashing second from a wide draw in the Golden Slipper, but the colt has swept that disappointment aside with a breathtaking performance at Randwick. The Godolphin head trainer admitted he was crushed when the youngster came up with the outside gate in the Slipper,[...]

Champion mare helps alleviate Bishara’s lockdown blues

Australian Racehorse of the Year nominations confirmed

Anamoe resumes a winner in Run to the Rose

Entriviere set for belated start to spring

Third time’s a charm for Nature Strip in Concorde Stakes

Zaaki kicks off spring campaign with Tramway Stakes win

Verry Elleegant or Zaaki? Tough decision for McDonald

Rothfire sends Everest warning with blistering trial

NSW stewards fine Bowman & McDonald for COVID breaches

Godolphin star Avilius retired after 39 races

New Zealand bred Kukeracha dances to Queensland Derby glory

Zaaki headed towards Cox Plate after devastating Doomben win

McDonald sings The Move’s praises after Warwick Farm win

Bishara staying home to watch Verry Elleegant

McDonald ready for round two

Force of Nature returns in T J Smith

McDonald celebrates milestone on Anamoe

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