J-Mac’s return to Award him with a Bundle of winners
LOCAL racing fans are sure to give a warm welcome to James McDonald when the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey flies in for an awayday from Australia on Sunday.
The locals already have fond memories of J-Mac this season, with the Kiwi-born pilot providing bettors with a month-long bonanza during a short-term contract in the city.
19 winners and 21 places from just 89 rides is a staggering record for any jockey and certainly put his great rival Zac Purton in the shade last month.
While McDonald has travelled to Sha Tin, primarily to renew his association with Voyage Bubble in the Stewards Cup (8.05am), he has picked up a host of good rides on the supporting card, and none more so than fast improving BUNDLE AWARD.
The John Size-trained four-year-old looked a winner waiting to happen when finishing strongly behind Packing Angel over seven furlongs a fortnight ago, and with that experience behind him should be hard to beat in the Mr Vitality Handicap (8.40am) over the same trip.
Reigning champ Purton will have plenty to contend with during the action, especially with all the razzmatazz and expectation surrounding him becoming the winning-most jockey in Hong Kong.
The Zac-Man needs four winners to surpass Douglas Whyte’s record of 1,813 victories, but with only seven rides, has a mountain to climb.
Ka Ying Rising may be a ‘gimme’ in the Centenary Sprint Cup (7.00am), but he will be hard pressed to find any other obvious winners.
He does, however, climb aboard a potentially well-treated and fast improving galloper in LIGHT YEARS CHARM who looks poised to strike in the Sound Print Handicap (7.35am) over seven furlongs.
The David Eustace-trained gelding has gone into the ‘black book’ on both his two runs in the territory and can be considered unlucky when coming from too far back from a wide draw behind Packing Angel on his last start.
With the majority of his rivals holding no secrets from the handicapper, and the inside gate one in his favour, he is likely to get an ideal journey and will be hard to stop when Purton presses the button in the closing stages.
POINTERS
Light Years Charm 7.35am Sha Tin
Bundle Award 8.40am Sha Tin