McDonald back in form and chasing another premiership

Reigning champion Sydney jockey James McDonald is striking form at just the right time as things start to hot up with carnival riches.

Two winners last Saturday at Randwick and another three on Wednesday at Warwick Farm has McDonald breathing down the neck of premiership leader Tommy Berry, who leads the race for the 2020/21 title by five wins on 62 winners this season.

McDonald has another excellent book of rides on Saturday, headlined by some of his carnival headliners – Verry Elleegant and Hungry Heart and the promising juvenile Stay Inside.

McDonald reunites with Verry Elleegant in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) and he is confident of another excellent fresh showing by the Caulfield Cup winner.

Verry Elleegant. Photo: Mark Evans/Getty Images.Source:Getty Images

“She’s really good,” he said. “Saturday is short of her best but she’ll be very, very hard to beat.

“She showed last spring she is sharp enough to win at 1400 (metres) fresh-up.

“Physically she looks superb and I can’t fault her.”

Hungry Heart and McDonald have not teamed up yet in 2021 but previous experiences have the jockey optimistic that the three-year-old filly can take it to another level this autumn, starting in Saturday’s Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).

Hungry Heart. Photo: Jenny Evans/Getty Images.Source:Getty Images

“I haven’t sat on her this time in but from all reports and to my eye she is going really well,” McDonald said.

“She looks to be nice and sharp and ran well first-up last prep and I think she’s trialled better this time compared with last prep.

“Going off her spring results she needed to improve a little bit and it looks like she has.

“Being a Frankel, she was always going to get a bit better with age.”

The Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Stay Inside could not have been any more impressive winning over 1000 metres at Randwick on debut.

The son of 2016 Blue Diamond winner Extreme Choice contests the $150,000 Pierro Plate (1100m).

Stay Inside. Photo: Mark Evans/Getty Images.Source:Getty Images

“I galloped him this week and he gave me a lovely feel,” McDonald said. “He feels like a pretty good horse.

“Other than that I don’t know much about him but he produced a good turn of foot when he won on debut.

“He looks a little ripper.”

Stay Inside is the shortest price of the trio in betting markets at $2.80 while both Verry Elleegant and Hungry heart are $4 chances, the latter the second favourite behind Away Game at $3.50.

Originally published asJames McDonald striking form as carnival hots up

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