Malcolm Johnson can rest easy at this time, knowing that, at the end of the weekend, he will still have his name in the record books as having ridden the most Group 1 winners (sixteen) in a season, a distinction he currently shares with James McDonald who drew alongside Johnson with his win in the Queensland Derby aboard Providence last Saturday.
McDonald will be sitting on the sidelines serving an eight day suspension this weekend, a penalty he picked up for his aggressive, relentless pursuit of victory when completing the Hong Kong Triple Crown on the superstar performer Romantic Warrior … but McDonald will be free to resume riding on June 11, meaning that he will still have three more opportunities … in the Stradbroke Handicap and the JJ Atkins (on June 13) and in the Tatts Tiara (on June 27) to knock Johnson off the pedestal they both share at the moment.
McDonald’s absence this weekend also takes the inside line on the Waller stable’s preference out of play for punters.
As Waller stated last week, “To get James, I’ve got to try and give him the best rides, so I’ve got to be accurate in my decisions.”
In essence, McDonald rides … to use Waller’s words again … ‘the top seed’ from the stable which has given punters a solid direction to follow.
On Saturday Waller saddles three runners in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks … Panova, Soverato and Chispa.
McDonald rode Panova to a notable victory in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville in the filly’s last start … the champion rider has also been the regular partner of Chispa, who the champion rider has partnered in her last four starts, including in her runner-up finish in the Group 2 The Roses at Doomben last time out.
The ‘replacement’ riders this time in sees Ben Melham take the reins of Panova, Jamie Melham getting aboard Chispa while Ryan Maloney keeps the ride on Soverato, who he partnered in The Roses last time.
Punters will have to work it out from there.
The betting boards have it … Panova ($3.90 – the current race favourite), Chispa ($7) and Soverato ($11).
