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An eventful week for top Kiwi trainer Roger James that saw him spend several days in hospital took another turn when he had to replace suspended jockey James McDonald as the rider of his class mare Silent Achiever at Flemington on Saturday.
Photo by Racing and Sports
James, having spent several days in hospital after a heart scare, will saddle up three runners at Flemington led by Silent Achiever in the $300,000 Matriarch Stakes and He's Remarkable in the $1 million Emirates Stakes.
Glen Boss is booked to ride He's Remarkable, a winner at this meeting last year, while Hugh Bowman will replace McDonald aboard Silent Achiever after the young Kiwi jockey lost an appeal against a careless riding suspension imposed after his ride on Fiorente in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
James, who also has Full Of Spirit (Steve Arnold) engaged in the Matriarch Stakes, was admitted to hospital in New Zealand last Friday after contracting giardia.
The trainer, who suffered a heart attack in 2008, fell ill in Melbourne soon after Silent Achiever's win in the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley on October 27.
He was able to return to New Zealand but was admitted hospital last Friday after blood tests indicated a problem with his heart. Further tests found that James has contracted giardia, an infection that can be contracted from bad water.
"It was all panic stations for a while,' James told the Waikato Times.
'The bug I had tickled up my heart. I did have an angiogram afterwards and all my arteries and blood vessels are perfect, which is good."
James was discharged from hospital on Wednesday and will be at Flemington to saddle his three runners.
He's Remarkable makes his Melbourne return seeking to win the Emirates Stakes after he was balloted out of the race last year.
He won on the same program as a consolation before he went to Perth where he lost the G1 Railway Stakes on protest.
He's Remarkable, a last start G1 placegetter in the Spring Classic at Hastings, was flown to Melbourne on Wednesday.
James is far from impressed with his 57kg and his awkward barrier 14 and will rely on Glen Boss to produce one of his trademark Group One rides.
'If he gets the breaks, I think he can,' James said.
Silent Achiever, last season's NZ Derby winner, is poised to start the shortest priced favourite of Melbourne Cup week in the Matriarch Stakes.
James said her Moonee Valley win was a bonus.
'This was the race I set Silent Achiever for and what we got last week was a bonus. I think she's far better placed this time than she was last time,' James said.
'Her win last time was a defining moment in her career. It proved to me she's going to be competitive at weight-for-age.
'This race should really suit her. By all accounts she's absolutely on top of her game.
Full Of Spirit, this year's G3 Adrian Knox Stakes winner, found the line well in last Saturday's G1 Myer Classic at Flemington when three lengths from the winner Appearance in ninth place and James can see her figuring in the finish.
"It looks like the 2000m this weekend will really suit her,' James said.
"She's drawn the outside in all three of her starts this time in. Her draws have cost us dearly.
'With a better draw I can see her getting some of the money as well.'