Breeding & Racing Magazine

McDonald to Appeal 3-Week Suspension

Sydney’s leading jockey, James McDonald, who recorded 100 metropolitan winners or more for the second year in a row on Saturday, will appeal the 3-week suspension meted out by Racing NSW Stewards last Friday. Charged with not riding “with sufficient vigour or purpose” in order to obtain the best possible place in the field for his mount when aboard race favourite Threeood earlier this month, McDonald let his feelings be known on racing station RSN927 when asked on Monday if the sanction was too harsh: “Yeah for sure and that's why I'm appealing… very harsh.” Since returning to race riding two years ago after a lengthy suspension, McDonald has been in dazzling form, with the Threeood allegations completely out of character.