Royal Ascot: McDonald called up again by Wathnan

Wathnan Racing will be aiming for a repeat of past success after once again securing leading international jockey James McDonald for Royal Ascot.

With the Emir of Qatar’s racing operation, who finished the Royal meeting with five winners 12 months ago, set to once again having a strong hand over the course of the five days, McDonald will fill a similar role to last year when having second choice on the Wathnan string.

“We’ve got a young fellow from New Zealand who’s not too bad called James McDonald on the teamsheet,” quipped Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown when asked about riding plans in races where the old gold and peacock blue will have multiple representation.

“James Doyle will have first choice on everything but he will be giving James McDonald as much information as he can on the others we have.

“He’s a huge addition for the week and to have James Doyle riding as your first jockey and James McDonald as your second jockey, you are simply giving yourself the very best chance you can and it’s the best of both hemispheres working together, hopefully for success.”

New Zealand-born McDonald, who notched a treble at the meeting in 2022, recorded his fifth Royal Ascot winner when partnering the Wathnan-owned Crimson Advocate to victory in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes last year.

Now fresh from Hong Kong Triple Crown glory aboard Romantic Warrior, the 34-year-old – who will be aboard Australian aces Overpass and Joliestar in the King Charles III Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes respectively – will be hoping to once again be the beneficiary of the tough choices his good friend Doyle faces.

Brown added: “James McDonald is a top man and a top jockey and he’s great mates with ‘Doyler’ which is important as they work together and there is a great picture from last year after he won on Crimson Advocate of ‘Doyler’ going over and giving him a fist pump which was very cool.

“James (Doyle) is a gent and will have some difficult decisions to make and I hope he gets them all right but inevitably in racing you might not.”