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High class filly Dear Demi is among the big race contenders that has lured crack Kiwi jockey James McDonald back to Sydney for a long term stay through the spring.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The 20-year-old star has confirmed that he will be basing himself in Sydney from mid August due to the early engagements he has accepted for the spring.
Top of his spring list are the Clarry Conners-trained and John Singleton-owned filly Dear Demi and talented Kiwi three-year-old Dundeel for Kiwi trainer Murray Baker.
Group One winner Guiseppina, trained in NZ by Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie, is another booking for McDonald but the record-breaking jockey says he will be spending more time in Sydney than NZ during the spring.
McDonald resumes riding in New Zealand today at Te Aroha and will also ride at Pukekohe on Saturday, Matamata on Monday and Te Awamutu next Wednesday before he heads to Sydney.
He will be based at Randwick by the time Baker arrives with Dundeel, a spring classics contender who is set to start his spring campaign at the Wyong meeting on August 22.
"I'll ride work at Randwick and see what I can pick up. I'll get a place in Coogee and travel home when I need to,' he told the Waikato Times.
"I've got a few nice rides lined up. I've got Dear Demi and Dundeel but I suspect it's going to take a month or two to get established again like last time."
McDonald rode the Clarry Connors-trained Dear Demi in three Sydney autumn races for a win in the Listed Fernhill Stakes and second placings in the G3 Baillieu Stakes and GI Champagne Stakes behind Pierro.
Dundeel was ridden by McDonald when he finished third in a Te Teko barrier trial on Tuesday behind the classy Ocean Park.
The High Chaparral colt, winner of his only start last season at Ellerslie in April, has the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and G1 Victoria Derby as his ultimate spring goals.
While Sydney will be his spring base McDonald intends to return to NZ to ride the G1 Telegraph Handicap winner Guiseppina in selected feature races for co-trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie.
Guiseppina is set for the G1 Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Hastings on September 1 and may race in Melbourne later in the spring.
