James McDonald strikes in third visit

SINGAPORE:  July 15, 2011
 
McDonald steers READY TO STRIKE past METEOR MIKE to win
the last race this evening - SNTC photo

Boom New Zealand apprentice James McDonald, invited by trainer Laurie Laxon to ride MARTIAL ART (Tiger Hill - Kwan by Sadler's Wells) in the S$1.15 million Emirates Singapore Derby on Sunday, had to wait until the last race tonight to get off the mark in his third Kranji visit.

McDonald nearly made a winning start to his two-day stint when he found one to beat on DANNY in the opening event.

But he made no mistake on READY TO STRIKE (Colombia - Bankers Tonic by British Banker) who ran down the pacemaker METEOR MIKE to win by three quarters of a length in the Progress - 1600m event.

It was the third win in 11 starts for the New Zealand three-year-old who is trained by Laxon.

McDonald, son of Cambridge trainer Brett McDonald, first came to Singapore in August 2009 when he landed three wins from 10 rides. He then returned in May 2010 to ride at the Singapore Airlines International Cup meeting but was however less successful, returning home with two thirds from 10 rides as his best showing.

During his first season of riding, McDonald was crowned New Zealand champion apprentice, backing it up the following three years by claiming both the champion apprentice and champion jockey awards.

McDonald has ridden close to 570 winners, including many at Group level, with the New Zealand Oaks with JUNGLE ROCKET (Jungle Pocket - Gu Li by Last Tycoon) and the New Zealand Breeders Stakes with SPECIAL MISSION (Towkay - Te Akau Trek by Khozaam) among the most important achievements.

This year, besides establishing a new New Zealand record of 198 winners (he has since brought his tally to 205 winners to-date) in a season, eclipsing Lisa Cropp’s mark of 197 wins, McDonald also won his first Australian Group 1 race aboard SCARLETT LADY (Savabeel - On Call by Ironclad) in the Queensland Oaks last June.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1

 MAIDEN - 1600M

6

 Bukit Rose Wood D Koh J Verenzuela

1

4

 Danny L Laxon J McDonald

2

3

 Vermiculite B Marcus O Placais

3

9

 Prince Roi P Shaw B Vorster

4

2

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1100M (POLYTRACK)

11

 Winotop M Freedman R Stewart

1

3

 Coliseum C Brown S Cormack

2

6

 Good Boss H W Tan O Placais

3

8

 Dreamcatcher B Marsh A Feiruz

4

3

 CLASS 4 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)

4

 Dr Grigoros Z L Mok J Verenzuela

1

8

 Fly Freely D Hill Saifudin

2

1

 Diplomatic Strike S Gray V Duric

3

2

 Saddle The Wind S Gray I Andy

4

4

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1400M

9

 Good Towkay Khoo Anandan

1

1

 Handsome Bachelor S Gray V Duric

2

7

 Enzo S Chua S John

3

2

 Roman Empire M Freedman D Beasley

4

5

 CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1400M

4

 Daring Journey C Brown Y Y Oon

1

9

 Zac Star Destroyer M Walker Zaki

2

5

 Tien Chai H K Tan M Ewe

3

12

 Chengdu Warrior D Koh B Tai

4

6

 CLASS 4 - 1600M (POLYTRACK)

1

 Daad's The Way S Gray M Ewe

1

8

 Schmeichel P Shaw B Vorster

2

3

 Joyluck B Marsh J Verenzuela

3

6

 Fat King H K Tan S Cormack

4

7

 CLASS 5, DIV 2 - 1400M

11

 Pink Cheetah Khoo J See

1

1

 Oil Baron S Chua S Mutaza

2

7

 Apache Junction C Brown Suhaimi

3

4

 Win Lots T Kieser Samsir

4

8

 BENCHMARK 89 - 1200M

6

 Ato P Shaw B Vorster

1

7

 Doraemon D Koh Au

2

3

 Over The Rainbow B Dean Soo

3

2

 Apache Crown S Burridge Kellady

4

9

 CLASS 3 - 1000M (POLYTRACK)

3

 Moonlite Shower Baertschiger S H Low

1

2

 Fast Break D Dragon V Duric

2

8

 Macau M Walker O Placais

3

5

 Pacino L Laxon J McDonald

4

10

 PROGRESS - 1600M

9

 Ready To Strike L Laxon J McDonald

1

6

 Meteor Mike D Hill S Cormack

2

5

 Red Beard B Marsh V Duric

3

1

 Dejayal M Walker R Shafiq

4