McDonald Missile to become latest winning Moment
FOLLOWING all the high drama and excitement for racegoers at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races meeting at Sha Tin last Sunday, it’s back to the city-track at Happy Valley for a nine-race programme, starting at 10.40am today.
One of the highlights last Sunday, other than the magnificent performance of the ‘people’s champion’, Golden Sixty, winning the HK Mile, was the unbridled joy on the face of jockey James McDonald following his win on Romantic Warrior in the HK Cup.
McDonald obviously wears his heart on his sleeve, which has certainly endeared him to the passionate local racegoers, who cheered him all the way back to the winners’ circle.
The former New Zealand and Sydney Champion Jockey has already made his mark after being granted a short-term licence in the territory, steering home a handful of winners since the end of last month and with the likelihood of plenty more to come.
With ‘J-Mac’ booked for seven rides at the Valley, the majority of which are all rated highly in the formbook, it will be disappointing for his growing band of supporters if he leaves the city-track empty-handed.
The likes of speedy Run Run Timing in the first division of the six-furlong Kwun Tong Handicap (12.10pm) and Young Life Forever in the second division of the same race (1.10pm) have obvious chances on recent form, but don’t overlook Beato in the Lam Tin Handicap (1.45pm), who has been screaming out for this trip over the extended mile.
Of more interest, however, is when McDonald teams up with trainer Caspar Fownes to ride top-weight INVINCIBLE MISSILE in the Ngau Chi Wan Handicap (11.40am) over nine furlongs.
This useful handicapper may be getting on in years but has given plenty of encouragement in his last couple of races to suggest another victory is near at hand.
The son of Smart Missile produced an eye-catching performance when coming from the back of the field to finish fourth over the mile at Sha Tin last month.
The booking of McDonald is an obvious pointer to his chances – the jockey reunites with the gelding for the first time here since riding him to victory won over the extended mile back in December 2021.
With a record of two wins and a fourth in similar company and racing off a similar mark to the one he last won on, he looks to have been ear-marked for this contest, and should take plenty of beating.
J-Mac is also an interesting booking for the former Group One winner in Chile, MOMENTS IN TIME, in the Kowloon Bay Handicap (2.15pm) over the extended mile.
The fact that trainer Danny Shum has booked the 31-year-old pilot is a major plus to his chances, having provided McDonald with four of his five winners so far.
The progressive four-year-old caught the eye in a recent trial against the likes of Romantic Warrior, Golden Sixty and last week’s Happy Valley winner Helene Feeling, and now finds himself down in class.
POINTERS
Invincible Missile 11.40am Happy Valley
Moments In Time e/w 2.15pm Happy Valley