JMac out for Golden Slipper Day 2023

[Chief Stipe]

J-Mac suspended for Golden Slipper day after ‘brain fade'

James McDonald after winning aboard Golden Slipper favourite Cylinder at Randwick last Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng-Getty Images

 

 

By Clinton Payne
09:19pm • 08 March 2023

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A self-confessed "brain fade" has cost James McDonald the ride on four Group 1 favourites on Golden Slipper day including the coveted steer of Australian racing's superstar Anamoe.

The champion jockey was handed a crucial six-meeting suspension for careless riding after pleading guilty to causing interference after the post in the Chase The Dream Handicap at Randwick on Wednesday.

McDonald allowed his mount Cholante to shift out into the running of Look Only which "struck heels" and "blundered badly".

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"It was a nasty piece of interference," acting chief steward Chris Albrecht told McDonald.

"She (Amy McLucas) was lucky not to come down."

A remorseful McDonald was banking on his exemplary record to save his outstanding book of Golden Slipper rides which includes Group 1 favourites – Cylinder in the Golden Slipper, Anamoe in the George Ryder Stakes, Pericles in the Rosehill Guineas and Lost And Running in The Galaxy.

McDonald had only found out earlier in the day that Godolphin weapon Anamoe would be lining up in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) after trainer James Cummings informed stewards the Cox Plate hero would target the $1m test instead of the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes on the same day.

Anamoe, already an eight-time Group 1 winner, is the red-hot $1.70 TAB favourite for the George Ryder.

McDonald's Golden Slipper steer Cylinder ($3.50) as well as Pericles ($4.50) and Lost And Running ($4.50) are also considered superb chances for the star rider to add to his major haul of 10 Group 1s this season around the globe.

James McDonald only found out on Wednesday he was booked to ride Anamoe in the George Ryder Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng-Getty Images

Godolphin colt Cylinder put himself in the box seat to help McDonald claim a second Golden Slipper win with a stellar performance to salute in last Saturday's Group 2 Todman Stakes at Royal Randwick.

McDonald captured his first Slipper back in 2014 when he combined with the John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes-trained Mossfun in the world's richest two-year-old race.

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The suspension could cost James McDonald an estimated $215,150 if all four horses won their respective Group 1 races, with jockeys entitled to five per cent of prizemoney.

"After the line horses gravitate outwards," McDonald told stewards.

"I have shifted. I apologise. I had a brain fade."

Working off their penalty template – stewards started with a 14-meeting suspension which was reduced to six after factoring in McDonald's exemplary record of one suspension in the past year, his guilty plea and that the suspension costs him Golden Slipper day, Black Opal Stakes and Canberra Cup Day.

McDonald starts his suspension on Sunday and returns to the saddle after the Golden Slipper meeting on Saturday week.

McDonald indicated he would be appealing the severity of the suspension.

 

[Freda]

While one of our riders can wipe out the chances of 3 runners in a Grp 1 - and nearly bring one down in the process - and receive 6 days.  And the horse keeps the race.

By comparison Mitchell and Bayliss both get 11 days for whip infringements...

[Gammalite]

On 3/12/2023 at 5:03 AM, Freda said:

While one of our riders can wipe out the chances of 3 runners in a Grp 1 - and nearly bring one down in the process - and receive 6 days.  And the horse keeps the race.

By comparison Mitchell and Bayliss both get 11 days for whip infringements...

Yes and Tommy Berry doing 10 months now for 'having a bet' .. I guess that is fairly consistant with Jmac himself and Ollie as well in the past. I think a lot of the jocks have a bet though . 

Home straight riding looks to my eye to be fairly good in Australia. (although Berry and Bowman did 6 suspension weeks each after bringing down rivals Adkins and Avdulla and their mounts were destroyed past couple of years)

Do jockeys think they can change ground more in NZ Freda? a lot of the tracks look cut up and horses drift wide Way more than in Oz through the year ? then things like the 'Prowess incident' occur, as the jocks are 'More Familiar ' with this looking for better ground routine. I realise Prowess was crowding others rather than looking for better ground , a bit like Gentleman Roy , who had a bigger prize-money race taken off him in Melbourne recently running out. 

[Freda]

28 minutes ago, Gammalite said:

 

Do jockeys think they can change ground more in NZ Freda?

I don't think many think at all.

a lot of the tracks look cut up and horses drift wide Way more than in Oz through the year ? 

Track maintenance is a problem, you will have read many comments on several threads about that.

 

[Doomed]

7 hours ago, Gammalite said:

Yes and Tommy Berry doing 10 months now for 'having a bet' .. I guess that is fairly consistant with Jmac himself and Ollie as well in the past. I think a lot of the jocks have a bet though . 

Home straight riding looks to my eye to be fairly good in Australia. (although Berry and Bowman did 6 suspension weeks each after bringing down rivals Adkins and Avdulla and their mounts were destroyed past couple of years)

Do jockeys think they can change ground more in NZ Freda? a lot of the tracks look cut up and horses drift wide Way more than in Oz through the year ? then things like the 'Prowess incident' occur, as the jocks are 'More Familiar ' with this looking for better ground routine. I realise Prowess was crowding others rather than looking for better ground , a bit like Gentleman Roy , who had a bigger prize-money race taken off him in Melbourne recently running out. 

Based on precedents here, I doubt very much whether Gentleman Roy would have been relegated in NZ. I have no idea what the thoughts were in Australia after than one, whether pundits thought it was the correct decision or not.

[Doomed]

On the subject of Aussie racing, it did appear to me that handy to the lead and on the rails seemed to be the place to be in Sydney and Melbourne last Saturday. We saw a few lead all the way, even at Flemington, and others stuck to the rails to make their winning runs. Different to many NZ meetings where heading out wide seemed to be the favoured option.

[billy connolly]

With regards the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes, racing's adjudicating personnel haven't got a clue and this was yet another example of how far out of their depth they actually are.

The adjudicating chairperson stated that the runner-up had ample opportunity to go past the winner but couldn't do so which is totally irrelevant when the aggrieved party is forced over extra ground.

For the uninitiated and more importantly the half-baked judicial panel, the easiest and most proven way to get a horse beat on a good/firm/easy track is to force it over extra ground, the argument that the winner has also covered extra ground and that the runner-ups jockey never stopped riding is also irrelevant.

To retain a Group 1 event after coming down the straight like a drunken turtle and taking out half the field is a travesty.

 

[Freda]

Absolutely.

And, as I've commented elsewhere, when adjudication standards are so inexplicably poor, riding standards inevitably follow.  We see the carnage daily, it's just fortunate that in most cases the results don't lead to injury - or worse - to horses and riders. 

[mikeynz]

Did I not see James Mac riding today?

[Chief Stipe]

18 hours ago, mikeynz said:

Did I not see James Mac riding today?

Appealed.

McDonald had a six-meeting ban reduced to four meetings on appeal which will allow him to ride on one of the biggest Group 1 days in Australian racing.

[Freda]

Got Lucky Sweynesse up too, that'll ease the pain a bit.