‘He’s a champion, and I’m just hanging onto the coattails’: Six-star McDonald toasts Randwick success

World’s Best jockey James McDonald stolen the thunder of his biggest supporter Chris Waller riding six winners at Randwick, on the day the champion completed the set of Sydney Group 1s.

Of course, McDonald was in the saddle of Joliestar, which wore the silks of one of New Zealand’s great nurseries, Cambridge Stud, in the Canterbury Stakes on Saturday.

McDonald won already won on Chayan in the Reisling Stakes, Beadman in the Fireball, Pinito in the Aspiration Quality and Generosity in the Challenge Stakes, it left the last favourite Gangsta Granny to complete the half dozen in the Weona Girl Quality.

She got the job done with another perfect McDonald steer.

 “I knew I had a proper book of rides. I thought every single one could win with a bit of luck,” McDonald said.
“But it was one of those days where everything just falls into place. If you get that luck, it just snowballs.

“You can feel them running well and you’re feeling good on top of them and things just worked out that way.

“I did ride six winners in New Zealand once [in 2010] but this is the first time I’ve done it in Sydney.”

He will have the next week to take in the success after he pleaded guilty to careless riding on Hidrix in the Todman Stakes. He was given four meetings, which he started straight away and will be back for the Coolmore Classic next Saturday.

It is the second time this autumn that McDonald has been suspended but not missed a Saturday.

McDonald could have got a better run on Joliestar, who wound in stablemate Beiwacht to take another group 1 or be it significant for Waller, who jockey praise.

“Great horses, and working with a fantastic trainer in Chris,” McDonald said. “It’s just a lovely working relationship, the horses are performing.

“He’s a champion, and I’m just hanging onto the coattails really.”