Expect James McDonald to be seen in some of the best seats Super Rugby franchise the NSW Waratahs have to offer next season.
McDonald brought up a winning treble at Warwick Farm on Wednesday on Highly Geared, a Canberra-trained mare part-owned by departing Waratahs boss Greg Harris.
And the champion jockey reckoned his efforts to get the sprinter home deserved something more than the mandatory five per cent of the winning stakes.
“I should get some free tickets to the Waratahs after that,” McDonald joked with Harris as he returned to scale.
McDonald might need to put his order in sooner rather than later with Harris announcing in August he would be stepping aside as the Waratahs’ chief executive at the end of the year.
Highly Geared gave trainer Garry Kirkup an overdue Sydney winner.
Kirkup made a name for himself as the private trainer for media man Mike Willesee and the colours worn by Highly Geared evoked memories of his time at Transmedia Park Stud.
But there is a slight difference with Kirkup adding white seams to the blue sleeves, white and red sash to differentiate from Willesee’s set of silks.
McDonald’s other wins came aboard Godolphin filly Ghisoni and Cauthen’s Power for Chris Waller.
Apprentice Lester Grace, who rode a double at Canterbury on Saturday, had his momentum interrupted by a three meeting careless riding suspension.
