Home and hosed? Star hoops target triumphant returns from abroad

Spring sprouts, human and horse, can shoot further through the Royal Randwick heavy with James McDonald’s return to headquarters, aka “headwaters”, after a successful Royal Ascot sortie.

Meanwhile, Jamie Kah, also refreshed by a stint abroad, promises to continue to fly high on better Caulfield conditions, featuring the group 3 Bletchingly Stakes, with a strong Sydney influence in Saturday’s feature event.

James McDonald punches the air as Nature Strip wins The King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.Credit:Getty

Hopefully, scratchings do not dwindle the Randwick fields because winter form is often scorned, but as with Rosehill Gardens last Saturday, it can produce promise and memorable performances.

Yes, J-Mac’s first program back had one unsuccessful effort on the Kensington circuit at Randwick on Wednesday, while Kah has already showed her expertise down south.

Both have returned to another outburst over Australia’s limp whip rules following the British Horseracing Authority announcing changes, including disqualification of horses where a jockey has “a clear and flagrant disregard” for the application.

The BHA will also ban the use of the whip in a forehand manner, but with a jockey still allowed to strike a horse seven times in a flat race.

Jamie Kah wins on Rudhyar at Sandown on Wednesday.Credit:Getty

Jockeys in Australia can hit a maximum of five times on non-consecutive strides throughout most of the race, but for the final 100 metres the limit is lifted to “at the riders’ discretion”, which can be very punishing indeed for the mount.

Stewards here are reluctant to relegate winners or placings for rule breaches and impose heavy fines, often broken down in the appeals process. Jockeys breaching the rule are getting an unfair advantage. To my eye the whip, albeit the current version being more of a fly swatter than the former model, when applied by a heavyweight like J-Mac or Nash Rawiller, makes a difference.

Still Kah gets her results using hands in unison with head, watchable as well as backable, which will be put to advantage on the Joe Pride-trained Mariamia in the Bletchingly when they take on the classier Mileva, a query over the 1200 metres.

Also saddle expertise at Caulfield gets a lift with Damian Lane back from Japan on Sartorial Splendor after a successful three-month stint.

Before leaving, Lane had 20 stakes winners in Australia while J-Mac notched 43. On Saturday the J Mac influence could prove vital on Tinnie Winnie in the Quayclean Handicap.

The jockey won twice on her before departing and she has been downed in two races since for other navigators.

Perhaps future group 1 contenders will come out of the Winter Challenge, a J-Mac free event with more potential than the Bletchingly due to the imports Gold Trip, and Mugatoo, owned by Australian Bloodstock, as well as Durston, all resuming, taking on the super-fit, local-bred Jojo Was A Man.

The ability of Mugatoo, with a start depending on track condition, is well exposed and he races well fresh.

Obviously, Gold Trip, whose Cox Plate attempt last year was aborted due to concerns over his galloping action, makes his Australian debut for Ciaron Maher-David Eustace, reeks of European ability. With only 10 starts the five-year-old has been placed in French group 1s and carries 61kg including Jason Collett, becoming renowned for saddle savvy.

Like Gold Trip, Durston, from the UK, has only had 10 races against easier opposition but is proven in Australian conditions, scoring at Caulfield when under the Maher-Eustace banner.

Now with Chris Waller, the six-year-old only has 53kg and Willie Pike. Sure, the 1500m journey is short of what he has produced so far but his recent barrier trial was encouraging.

Certainly, Waihaha Falls, hot favourite in the Stable Staff, is one of the most talented types seen lately. Even with the benefit of a 1.5kg allowance for Reese Jones, he gets a 4kg rise on his recent triumph.

Weight, though, generally matters. The way he scored last start it could be useful to keep him on ground level.

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