The James McDonald show rolled into Gosford on Sunday as the outstanding young jockey capped a memorable weekend with victory aboard Pampelonne in the $250,000 Gosford Guineas.
Fresh from his four-win haul on Doncaster Day at Randwick, McDonald had just one ride at Sunday’s Central Coast meeting and walked away victorious as the promising Pampelonne strode away with the Listed event.
Pampelonne sat outside the leader in the 1200m contest before sprinting clear to defeat local filly Fox by 1-1/4 lengths with favourite Hallowell Belle three-quarters of a length away third.
The Tim Martin-trained Pampelonne will now aim to emulate Group One winner Sincero by heading to the Scone Guineas.
Sincero won the Gosford and Scone Guineas last year before going on to claim Group One success.
“He gave me an exceptional feel and I think he’s going to be a pretty good racehorse,” McDonald said.
“His turn of foot on the corner was very good and better ground will help him. He’ll show an electric turn of foot on top of the ground.”
New Zealand’s premier jockey, 20-year-old McDonald rode four winners on Saturday including his first Sydney Group One aboard Temple Of Boom in the Galaxy.
He is basing himself in Sydney for the next few weeks before heading north to the Brisbane winter carnival.
“It’s been unbelievable,” McDonald said.
“I couldn’t believe it that I won a Group One yesterday and it’s probably just starting to sink in now.”
Martin has always had a big opinion of Pampelonne and said the gelding should be unbeaten from his five starts.
“He’s a very promising horse,” Martin said.
“It was a big jump in class but he probably should be unbeaten as he’s been unlucky a couple of times.
“I expected him to win today but it was just good to see him do it.”
Along with the $150,000 first prizemoney, the victory carried with it a $75,000 bonus for owner Alan Bell as Pampelonne was nominated for the William Inglis sales company series.
Kathy O’Hara said the runner-up, Fox, did a terrific job to earn a black-type placing.
Tommy Berry, rider of Hallowell Belle, said the filly didn’t show as much speed on the eight-day back-up from the TJ Smith Stakes which resulted in her getting back in the field.
Earlier, four-year-old Maroney Avenue maintained his unbeaten record from four starts with a fast-finishing win in the $50,000 Malcolm Cusick Stakes (1200m).
Trainer Rod Northam said he would look at possible options at the upcoming Scone Cup carnival for the progressive galloper.
McDonald will be back in action at Randwick on Saturday where his Group One rides include Dear Demi in the Champagne Stakes and Hanks in the Sydney Cup.
