Champion hoop James McDonald is confident class gallopers can get the job done

Sydney’s reigning premier jockey James McDonald is relying on the sheer class of Kolding and Paulele to secure the feature race double at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Kolding resumes in the Group 2 $200,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) and Paulele is first-up in the Listed $150,000 The Rosebud (1100m).

Under the set weights and penalty conditions of the Missile Stakes, Kolding has topweight of 59kg and is conceding between 2.5kg to 4.5kg to his six rivals.

Similarly, Paulele has been allotted 59kg for The Rosebud and is giving away between 2.5kg and 6kg to the rest of the field.

James McDonald believes he is on the right horses to claim the first two stakes races of the new season. Photo Grant GuySource:The Daily Telegraph

But McDonald is confident he is on the right horses to claim the first stakes races of the 2021-22 season.

Kolding, a three-time Group 1 winner of more than $6.3 million prizemoney, hasn’t raced since edging out Savatiano and Cascadian in the All Aged Stakes in April.

But trainer Chris Waller, aiming for his first win in the Missile Stakes, has given Kolding two solid barrier trials to prepare for his return to racing.

“The key is the dry track,” McDonald said. “Kolding’s most effective when on top of the ground.

“He’s obviously giving weight to the opposition but he is a quality animal.

“The 1200m is probably just a touch short for him, he’s at his best around 1600m, but he’s had a couple of nice trials to prepare for this race.

“There will be no stone left unturned getting Kolding ready for his return in terms he has had a really good foundation for this race – he is there to run well.”

Kolding is on the third line of betting at $5 in early TAB Fixed Odds betting on Missile Stakes betting behind brilliant mare Fasika at $2.50.

Godolphin’s Paulele is also prominent in betting for The Rosebud at $4.80 second favouritism behind boom colt Remarque at $3.20.

Kindergarten Stakes winner Paulele is ready to resume in the Listed Rosebud at Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

The James Cummings-trained Paulele won three of his five starts last season including his impressive Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes win during The Championships in April.

McDonald got the chance to put Paulele through his paces in a Hawkesbury barrier trial last month and is looking forward to reuniting with the talented colt in The Rosebud.

“Paulele gave me a tremendous feel in that trial,” McDonald said.

“He has to give weight to some good ones but he’s a beautiful colt, he gave me a lovely ride and plenty of confidence going into Saturday.”

McDonald believes this season’s three-year-old crop is one of the more exciting in years which adds more interest to The Rosebud.

“Without doubt they are a promising group of young horses,” McDonald said.

“We probably say the same thing every year but I think this season it is different.

“There is a range of them and they are close in terms of ability so it will make a really good Golden Rose, that’s for sure.”

McDonald said he expects some of the top three-year-old sprinters will end up getting starts in the $15 million The TAB Everest in October.

“A lot of these top three-year-olds like Stay Inside have that good racing pattern where they can bound along on the speed and give themselves every chance,” he said.

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Originally published asJMac has faith in Kolding and Paulele

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