James McDonald closed a highly successful short-term stint in Hong Kong with a quartet at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 December), crowning his stay with two Group One victories while amassing more than HK$72 million for connections during the 11-meeting cameo.
Acclaimed as the 2024 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey, McDonald slotted four winners, a second and a third from nine rides at Sha Tin to finish his visit with 19 wins and 21 minor placings from 89 rides for overall prizemoney earnings of HK$72,033,605 – a figure bettered this season only by Zac Purton (HK$81.9 million).
McDonald, who dominated at the HK$126 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races with victories on Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) in the HK$40 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) in the HK$36 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), scored on Super Legends (Brave Smash), Lady’s Choice (NZ) (Charm Spirit), Divano (Brave Smash) and Johannes Brahms (Siyouni) today.
The New Zealander is scheduled to return to Hong Kong to partner Voyage Bubble in the HK$13 million Gr.1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on 19 January after serving a seven-meeting suspension for careless riding following an incident at Sha Tin on 15 December.
“I’ve absolutely loved every minute of it except for last Sunday (15 December), it threw a bit of a downer on the whole trip but we loved it – it’s been brilliant,” said McDonald, who sits in fourth place in the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship behind Purton (51 wins), Hugh Bowman (26) and Vincent Ho (21).
“Those horses (Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble) have been the highlights but I really enjoyed every meeting – most meetings, I got winners so it was good.”
McDonald opened his account aboard Danny Shum’s Super Legends in the first section of the Class 4 Hibiscus Handicap (1200m) before adding the Class 3 Pok Oi Cup Handicap (1200m) on Lady’s Choice for Michael Chang, the first section of the Class 3 Tulip Handicap (1200m) on Francis Lui’s Divano and Johannes Brahms for Pierre Ng in the Class 3 Spruce Handicap (1400m).
