Racing
JMac wins six races at Randwick
Superstar jockey James McDonald rode a career-best six winners on a Sydney Saturday program – the first time the feat has been achieved in nearly 40 years.
McDonald rode an historic sixth winner in the closer of the 10-race Randwick program when he partnered Gangsta Granny in the Group 3 $250,000 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m).
This is the first time a jockey has ridden six winners at a Sydney Saturday meeting since Jim Cassidy in 1987.
But McDonald's achievement takes on even more significance as all his six winners were in Group or Listed races.
McDonald rode Joliestar to win the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes and also won on Generosity (Group 2 Challenge Stakes), Pinito (Group 3 Aspiration Quality), Beadman (Listed Fireball Stakes) and Chayan (Group 2 Reisling Stakes).
"I knew I had a proper book of rides. I thought every single one was capable of winning with a bit of luck,'' McDonald said.
"But it was one of those days where everything just falls into place. If you get that luck, it just snowballs.
"You can feel them running well and you're feeling good on top of them and things just worked out that way.
"I did ride six winners in New Zealand once (2010) but this is the first time I've done it in Sydney.''
It certainly was McDonald's day as he was found guilty of a careless riding suspension for causing interference on Hidrix in the Todman Stakes.
McDonald pleaded guilty and Racing NSW stewards hit him with a four-meeting suspension starting Sunday but he is free to ride at the Coolmore Classic meeting next Saturday.
The Team Hawkes-trained Gangsta Granny ($2.80) showed her class and capped McDonald's record-breaking day when she resumed with a strong win by three-quarters of a length from Cosmonova ($41) with Asgarda ($81) a neck away third.
"I thought she looked pretty well placed today even with the 58kgs," McDonald said.
"She is a class mare and did run Autumn Glow to half a length."
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes believes the talented Gangsta Granny has "gone to another level" this campaign after improving her record to five wins (and five placings) from 10 starts.
"Her trials have been outstanding, she has come back with a bang,'' Hawkes said.
"It was a nice race that we picked for her. We thought it was an easier race, albeit she had to carry the weight, but she is a class mare.
"She has always been strong, she has always been that sort of mare but you just want these good horses to come back to the next level, which she has."
Hawkes admitted a main target for Gangsta Granny this autumn has not yet been determined.
"She can go anyway,'' Hawkes said .
The improvement she has taken, they've run good time, it's only first-up and she carried a big weight. Her day will come and hopefully we can get to the top of the tree."
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