‘It’s very special’: J-Mac rides into history with two records on Golden Slipper day
Amid the euphoria of breaking the group 1 record for an Australian rider, James McDonald hugged trainer Chris Waller before saying, “Hey, that’s our record, too”.
McDonald went to the top of the list of group 1-winning riders, but he also established himself and Chris Waller as the most successful jockey-trainer combination in Australian racing history, with wins in the first two elite races of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.
The New Zealand-born, Sydney-based McDonald pushed Aeliana to a fighting victory in the Ranvet Stakes before pushing Autumn Boy through half a gap at the top of the straight on the way to a two-length triumph in the Rosehill Guineas.
The double took McDonald to 130 group 1 victories, going past Damien Oliver’s mark of 129 – and his combination with Waller to 55, going past and TJ Smith and George Moore’s 54. It also took McDonald to 100 group 1 victories in Australia to go with his 30 overseas.
Superstar unbeaten mare Autumn Glow added to celebrations in the next race, the group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), blowing away her rivals with an effortless two and three-quarters length win to take her perfect record to 11 and push Waller and McDonald’s further ahead in the history books.
The focus was on McDonald, but spoke during the week about how special the record with Waller was, and he didn’t forget the role the combination has played in his success.
“It’s lovely, but it’s a testament to the horses that I ride because they are phenomenal,” said McDonald, Waller’s No.1 rider.
“There’s no two ways about it, that I do ride the best horses and most favourites each race, and I’m blessed to have that opportunity.
“To get to a mark like this is obviously very special, especially with how I looked up to Damien Oliver.
“Watching as a 10-year-old kid, he was riding Melbourne Cup winner and one that comes to mind is a Media Puzzle, when he went through so much adversity and still had the audacity to come out on top. He was just a phenomenal rider and I’m just blessed with a great family and support crew.”
McDonald revealed a text from former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen that morning helped him prepare for the record-breaking day.
“I write on my piece of paper every race day, ‘See it. Feel it. Win it.’ And at the bottom of it, ‘Enjoy it’,” he said.
“[Hansen] said, ‘Walk straight into it. Grab it with both hands and walk straight into it.’ I was thinking to myself, imagine him sitting down with the All Blacks, a 15 squad of men, our greatest sport in New Zealand, and he’s saying, ‘Walk into it, embrace it’. I thought that was quite special because it took me back a little bit.”
Waller said Autumn Boy was unlikely to race on to the ATC Derby but he was looking for another autumn target.
McDonald earlier went level with Oliver’s mark and the Smith-Moore record with a gritty win from Aeliana over Lindermann and long-time Nash Rawiller in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
It was a first group 1 for the four-year-old Castelvecchio mare since she streaked away in the ATC Derby last year. She had finished second three times at the top level since but she was expected to go one better on Saturday.
Stablemate Lindermann, though, led then pushed Aeliana all the way in an epic match race through the final furlong to prevail by a short neck. Sir Delius was three quarters of a length away in third. It was Lindermann’s first run back from suffering a cardiac arrhythmia in the Verry Elleegant.
Aeliana is set to race on to the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 11.
“I’m proud of the horse, she was superb,” McDonald said.
“Nash is a genius, just dictating those terms. Credit to him, his horse fought hard. Take nothing away from our girl, she had to dig deep.
“She’s been building towards that and I’m just rapt for Denise [Martin] and the team at [syndication/owners] Star Thoroughbreds.”
Star Thoroughbreds principal Martin was relieved after the win and full of praise for McDonald.
“It’s a relief, yes, but I think she’s raced at the elite level for a long time now, and it happened,” Martin said. “It was a little bit hair-raising at the 100, because they walked, that was the issue. It was a very good ride by Nash and a better ride by James.”