JMac to Partner Favourites in Karaka Millions Races

Media Release - Tuesday January 23

Leading Sydney hoop James McDonald has been ticking up the air miles of late and will add some more to his tally when he heads home to New Zealand this weekend to ride at the TAB Karaka Millions race meeting at Ellerslie.

The expat Kiwi hoop will head to Auckland on Saturday in red-hot form after he scored another elite-level triumph in Hong Kong when guiding Voyage Bubble to victory in the Gr.1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday for trainer Ricky Yiu.

James McDonald is in G1 form having won the Stewards' Cup on Sunday at sha Tin - image HKJC

It will be the first time McDonald will be back in his homeland in nearly five years and he is being welcomed home with some quality rides, including two of the favoured runners in the respective TAB Karaka Millions races.

McDonald will jump aboard the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Orchestral in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), and believes she will jump favourite ahead of current market leader Molly Bloom.

“She (Orchestral) will jump favourite, she is a good horse,” McDonald told SENTrack.

“The only reason is that Molly Bloom has had a very busy schedule, she has been down to the South Island, where my filly is third-up. She ran an absolute screamer last start where she won very easily. She is ready to peak, and with Roger James training, I think she is as good as anything.”

Orchestral is currently a $4.50 second favourite behind Molly Bloom at $3.30 prior to the barrier draw on Wednesday evening.

Orchestral, who was a $625,000 purchase by her trainers out of Haunui Farm’s 2022 Karaka Book 1 draft, was runner-up to Lupo Solitario in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) last month before turning the tables on her foe at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day when winning their mile contest by 2-1/2 lengths.

Advertisement

McDonald is also favoured to feature prominently in the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), having secured the coveted ride on the Stephen Marsh-trained Velocious.

The daughter of Written Tycoon currently heads the market at $3.40 following her promising start to her career, winning her first two outings, including the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m), before placing in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day.

“She is going really well, her form is outstanding,” McDonald said. “She had a nice burn around Pukekohe a couple of weeks ago. I get a text message from Stephen (Marsh, trainer) every week that she is in really good form. I wouldn’t swap her for anything.”

Velocious was purchased by syndicator Go Racing out of Inglewood Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $190,000.

While excited about his rides, McDonald is also looking forward to competing on Ellerslie’s new StrathAyr track in front of a sold-out crowd.

“It looks good and a record crowd number too – 12,000,” he said. – LOVERACING.NZ news Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Monday September 29
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Almanzor Mare Chasing More Black Type
Group Two performer Mary Shan will be in search of an elusive stakes victory when she heads south to Hawera on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
2025 G1 The Metropolitan Field and Barrier Draw
Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher are set to have half of the Group I Metropolitan field between them with the Waller trained Birdman an easing favourite after drawing a wide gate for Saturday’s race.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 30
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
2025 G1 Epsom Handicap Field and Barrier Draw
The field and barrier draw has been decided for the Group I Epsom Handicap on Saturday with odds-on favourite and unbeaten mare Autumn Glow drawing the extreme outside gate in a field of 14.
Swettenham Stud Delighted with Lofty Strike Foals
Swettenham Stud are delighted with the growing buzz of excitement surrounding the first foals for young gun sire Lofty Strike.
She's Unusual Keeps Good Times Rolling
Continued success with resident stallion Unusual Suspect and their racing team has kept Nigel and Adaire Auret busier than they may have envisaged, but without any complaints.
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
Goffs Orby Day 2 - Trio of Million Dollar Yearling Fillies
The second day of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale took off overnight with three individual yearlings selling for a million or more with the full sister to dual Group I winning champion 2YO Colt Blackbeard selling for €1.9 million to MV Magnier.