James McDonald shows why he’s the world’s best
The reasons why James McDonald is the World’s Best Jockey were on display all weekend.
It had been three months since McDonald had ridden a Saturday winner in Sydney, but he went home with five on Saturday before hopping on a jet to Hong Kong for Sha Tin on Sunday.
McDonald rides a lot of favourites, but only one of the five was the punters’ pick.
He might get better chances than most, but there is a reason for that.
Look at his rides on Alabama State, Pippie Beach and Willaidow, none of which were favourites.
McDonald sat three-wide in rhythm on Alabama State to start his day, before outriding Tommy Berry to beat favourite Cross Tasman. Pippie Beach needed everything to go right to win, but McDonald put it in a position for that to happen. He got a split between the leaders, while Cross Tasman had to come around them and that was the difference.
McDonald is now five wins from six rides on Willaidow, but he opted to take a sit behind speed on the noted leader on Saturday and proved the strongest late.
Saturday took the gap between Zac Lloyd and McDonald down to two wins, even though Lloyd had a double.
It is hard to see McDonald not winning the premiership again with his firepower coming into the autumn.
He can still go to the overseas meetings and says the travel isn’t that bad with his routine. He might not have ridden a winner in Hong Kong but remains in demand over there.
Don’t be surprised to see McDonald travel to more World Pool meetings where his popularity drives turnover, especially with Hong Kong punters.
He went to Saudi Arabia and Dubai last year with Romantic Warrior. He might be back at Dubai World Cup night this year, which clashes with the Tancred Stakes, for another couple of rides that hold more appeal than Rosehill.
Sixties back to a new groove
Chris Waller likes his horses to be in control rather than free-running, believing that in the end, it produces more winners.
Small changes make a difference, and they might have just made Sixties into a Group 1 horse.
In his first campaign, Sixties would sit on speed, not a regular trait for the Waller stable. He led and held off Autumn Boy in the Ming Dynasty Stakes in a control of sustained speed and then sat on the back of the speed in the Golden Rose and held on alright.
But he wasn’t going to go to the next step with that style.
The potential was there and a tinker from Waller has released it.
Sixties carried a lugging bit and a tongue tie on Saturday and was much more relaxed.
Instead of cutting out the speed with Roselyn’s Star and Mogo Magic, Sixties was back, biding his time and then produced a winning burst.
The leaders didn’t stop but Sixties ran 21.46 for his final 400m to start a campaign destined for the Australian Guineas.
His new style will allow him to get the mile at Flemington, where the long straight gives every horse its chance.
Kate Nivison enjoys breakout autumn
Owner-breeder Kate Nivison could be about to have a couple of months to remember.
It was already going to be exciting with Flight Stakes winner Apocalyptic, which she retains an interest in, but when her brother, Hidrix, won the Canonbury Stakes on debut, it added to the list that includes Provincial Championships favourite Oui Oui Oui.
Nivison sold Hidrix, a son of Extreme Choice, for $1.7 million at the Easter Sale but he will always be her baby.
“I was so excited that he could do that at his first start for them,” she said. “It reflects so well on everyone who had something to do with him from the staff at Coolmore to Limitless Lodge.”
The next member of the family is a Pierro filly that will not see the sale ring as Nivison lives by the adage – “sell the colts, keep the fillies”.
“I’ll be racing her with mates,” she said. “That’s what I did with Oui Oui Oui and it is so much fun when they are good like him.”
“He is going to trial at Warwick Farm on Tuesday and hopefully we can into the Provincial Championships.”
“We have Apocalytic in two weeks in the Light Fingers Stakes and then the Surround Stakes, so we have a good chance of a winner during the carnival.”
Apocalyptic’s dam Shadow missed last season, and there is a pretty good chance of a return to Extreme Choice later in the year.
“It is hard to get into foal with him, but it would seem the right choice,” Nivison said.
TAB ads live in the past
The TAB owns the vision rights to most of Australian racing, so why does its advertising feature races from three and four years ago?
There was no Half Yours or Ka Ying Rising in the ads during the Australian Open, rather the 2022 Magic Millions of Coolangatta and Think About It winning the 2023 Everest.
Both are retired and lack relevance to what is happening in 2026.
It is easy to see why other corporate bookmakers have overrun the TAB in a business sense, the place needs a good whipping into shape.
