Australia’s champion jockey James McDonald will miss the final group 1 race of the season at Eagle Farm on Saturday after spending Wednesday night in hospital with a mystery stomach problem.
The 32-year-old had started Wednesday feeling like he had “a stitch” at Warwick Farm. His condition worsened during the afternoon and he was stood down after four rides.
James McDonald returns on Romantic Warrior after winning the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last year.Credit: Racing Photos / Getty Images
McDonald drove himself to Prince of Wales Hospital at Randwick, where doctors ruled out appendicitis. He left hospital on Thursday morning.
“The pain is just horrific,” McDonald said. “They are still doing tests but I just can’t ride on Saturday.”
McDonald was due to ride C’est Magique, which is the $6.50 second pick for the group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara, and was booked for three other favourites at Eagle Farm.
McDonald had booked a holiday after the final group 1 meeting for the season in Australia and was scheduled to have a couple of weeks off. He has had the best season of his career, riding 113 winners at a remarkable strike rate of 24 per cent.
Nineteen of those wins were at group 1 level – 14 in Australia and five in Hong Kong and Japan – in what has been one of the greatest seasons from by a jockey in Australia.
McDonald has linked with Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior for five group 1 victories, including the Cox Plate, the Hong Kong Gold Cup and Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo.
“He is the best horse I have ridden. It is remarkable that he has won one of Australia’s best races, one of Japan’s best races,as well as being unbeaten at home in Hong Kong,” McDonald said. “He has been one of the highlights of an incredible year.”