Pegasus 9

Racenet MW: It looks inevitable that James McDonald will make a permanent move to Hong Kong in the very near future. He's only 31, has a young family, he can make $4 million-$5 million a year, and work less than he does in Australia. J-Mac isn't the type who'll be content punching home winner after winner for Chris Waller in Sydney for the next decade. Like all great sportspeople, he wants to challenge himself against the best, and the timing is right for a permanent move. There will be plenty of Sydney-based jockeys cheering when it happens. BD: The clearest sign J-Mac is permanently Hong Kong bound are comments by HKJC chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges this week. "The good thing is he (J-Mac) feels really at home here. For me, it's only a matter of time," the HKJC boss told the South China Morning Post. You can bet $1.01 that Winfried wouldn't have said that if he didn't have a very good idea it was a sure thing. When J-Mac does set up shop in Honkers, his dancing will be another asset to the Asian racing scene. Did you see him at the Taylor Swift concert? Move over, Fred Astaire.

Kiwi superstar James McDonald is back on top of the world after reclaiming #1 spot on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings for jockeys.

Another Group 1 Great win by Romantic Warrior and James. Tactically brilliant. Congrats.

1. Matamata R8: 3, 11 2. Otaki R7: 1, 8 3. Caulfield R3: 2, 7 4. Caulfield R4: 1, 9 5. Caulfield R5: 2, 10 6. Caulfield R6: 6, 10 7. Caulfield R8: 4, 13 8. Caulfield R9: 1, 2 9. Rosehill R5: 6, 13 10. Rosehill R6: 11, 13 11. Rosehill R7: 1, 6. BB 12. Rosehill R8: 5, 11. BB Cheers

Emotive maybe, claptrap no. I am making no apologies for what I sincerely believe and from what I, and others, also saw from watching her over there. Ellie was my favourite horse so I have followed her from her first race to the last race.. But I am only a fan, yes, an emotive and emotional one at that. So you may have your opinion and I have mine. Don’t be insulting and call mine “claptrap” thank you Pete

That is exactly what I don’t understand either Ohoka. And I will always believe that this would not have happened if she had been allowed to retire in Australia where she was the happiest, not in France where she was never never happy and her condition suffered. She was never happy and sadly the rest is now history.

Chris Waller said it was the same difficult birth that Winx had when she tragically lost her first foal and was lucky to have survived, but this time tragically neither Verry Elleegant nor her foal could be saved. And this is the fact I don’t understand, why was Ellie 3 weeks overdue? Surely to God alarm bells must have been ringing by then.

Mr BS knew better than anyone else. Ignored all advice from those who had spent years with her every day. Bloody know all, Bustard. VE deserved so much better than the tragic end she endured for hours fighting to stay alive, and all for what Mr BS.? Can’t have been for more money surely, maybe to inflate your already over inflated ego. Because Mr BS knows it all. Remember the Melbourne Cup, Mr BS was so sure another of his horses was going to win so had on the appropriate colour tie. But along comes this very very brave mare who some of us knew was destined for history. Rushing to get in front of the camera, Mr BS seen ripping off his tie of the second place getter to grab all the attention because Mr BS knows it all. Of course he knew that Verry Elleegant was going to win the Melbourne Cup because Mr BS knows it all.

I am heartbroken over this very sad news. RIP Verry Elleegant. A Champion and a very beautiful girl.

And the irony is that C Williams has been the regular rider for Markram.

Geez, I thought last week was bad. Sorry team.

1. Ellerslie R5: 3, 5 2. Ellerslie R6: 2, 4 3. Ellerslie R7: 6, 13 4. Flemington R2: 1, 8 5. Flemington R3: 4, 6 6. Flemington R5: 7, 10 7. Flemington R6: 1, 7 8. Flemington R7: 2, 7 9. Flemington R9: 12 10. Randwick R7: 5, 8 BB 11. Randwick R8: 2, 3 12. Randwick R9: 5, 7 BB Cheers

And probably Sydney as well sometime.

Was always going to happen.

Any more room in the cab leaving early?

1. Te Rapa R4: 5, 11 2. Te Rapa R6: 7, 9 BB 3. Te Rapa R7: 2, 10 4. Te Rapa R8: 3, 11 5. Randwick R2: 1, 2 6. Randwick R6: 3, 6 7. Randwick R7: 1, 4 8. Caulfield R4: 4, 5 9. Caulfield R6: 1, 4 10. Caulfield R7: 1, 8 11. Caulfield R8: 4, 15 BB 12. Caulfield R9: 2, 9 Cheers

https://www.racenet.com.au/news/ozzie-kheir-buys-into-group-1-winner-molly-bloom-20240206

Cleared to ride. See you at Sha Tin, J-Mac! #HKracing

Bugger. I wonder if Hong Kong is off tomorrow as well.

JMac is not riding in the next, T Berry replaces him on the fav. Hopefully he can recover asap for the rest of his rides today.

1. Wingatui R5: 1,12 2. Wingatui R7: 1,5 3. Wingatui R9: 1,7 4. New Plymouth R4: 5,9 5. New Plymouth R6: 1,3 BB 6. New Plymouth R7: 6,7 7. Rosehill R5: 1,3 8. Rosehill R6: 4 9. Rosehill R7: 2 10. Rosehill R8: 1,7 BB 11. Caulfield R7: 5,6 12. Caulfield R8: 6,7 Cheers

https://www.racenet.com.au/news/apprentice-kelsey-hannan-out-of-induced-coma-after-scary-fall-at-strathalbyn-20240128

Forgot about the race. Just watched the replay and the winner absolutely flew the gates. I thought James gave Victor a good ride 2 starts back. Zac beat him that day though on LS. Didn’t look like winning tonite though.

He has said he is happy with the way it’s working for now. Based in Sydney, obviously with family, riding at the big carnivals in Melbourne, Brisbane and now hopefully NZ. And the added bonus is being able to fly in to Hong Kong and ride there and then fly out. Best of both worlds at the moment..

Great to see JMac in NZ and winning both the big races yesterday at the Karaka Million meeting. Well done to him. Hopefully we will see him more in NZ now. The best in the World. And he is such a really nice person, modest, charming and totally genuine. Great ambassador for NZ and the Industry.