James McDonald booked to ride Japan's Prognosis and Lucky Sweynesse on Champions Day
James McDonald will eye a third straight Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) victory when he rides Japanese star Prognosis for the first time, while the superstar jockey has also confirmed he will ride comeback sprinter Lucky Sweynesse on April 27.
With Hong Kong's champion galloper Romantic Warrior absent from the QE II Cup after an arduous campaign in the Middle East, McDonald was without a ride in the HK$28 million feature until connections of Prognosis swooped.
The Kiwi rider will also team up with four-time Group One winner Lucky Sweynesse in his return from injury in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m), while he will again have undeniable claims aboard star miler Voyage Bubble in the Group One Champions Mile at Sha Tin's second biggest meeting of the year.
McDonald has seen plenty of Prognosis, having relegated the unlucky galloper to second in three Group Ones – the past two QE II Cups when he was triumphant aboard Romantic Warrior and November's Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley when he booted home Via Sistina.
'I've faced him three times on Romantic Warrior and we're 3-0 and once with Via Sistina, so we're 4-0 against him,' McDonald said.
'He's always been the horse to beat against those top horses, so I've done my research on him over the years and hopefully we can get the best out of him there.
'If he runs up to his form when he faced Romantic Warrior, then he's going to be right in this because there's no Romantic Warrior this year. The champ's not there so it's anyone's race. If he puts his best foot forward, he can win the race for sure.'
A three-time Group Two winner in Japan, Prognosis has been plagued by slow starts and bad luck in running – including in his latest appearance in Hong Kong.
The Mitsumasa Nakauchida-trained galloper was only beaten a neck by Romantic Warrior in last year's QE II Cup after starting slowly and sustaining a mid-race move out wide.
McDonald will bid for his second elite-level triumph aboard Lucky Sweynesse after booting home Manfred Man Ka-leung's stable star in the Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) in 2023.
However, Lucky Sweynesse faces a big test at his first run since fracturing his left fore cannon bone in his Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) success 12 months ago.
Also standing in his way is superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising, who will chase a fourth Group One triumph and 12th win in a row.
'Obviously it's his first run back so we watch and learn a bit, but he's Hong Kong's champion sprinter from a year or two ago,' McDonald said.
'He seems to have trialled brilliantly and he gave me a good feel when I was up there doing my little stint. Even though he ran last in a trial with me, he felt good so as long as he's nice and forward for his first-up showing against the champ, Ka Ying Rising, I'm sure he'll give a good account of himself.'
Despite taking on a strong field headlined by Australian star Mr Brightside, Voyage Bubble will be the one to beat when he bids for a fifth straight victory in the Champions Mile.
McDonald and Ricky Yiu Poon-fai's outstanding galloper have been a dominant force this season, racking up wins in Group Ones the Hong Kong Mile, Stewards' Cup (1,600m) and Gold Cup (2,000m).
'The Bubble's bloody airborne,' McDonald said. 'He's had an unbelievably good preparation.
'It looks a very, very competitive mile but I wouldn't swap him for anything because he's so consistent, he's got a great racing style and he seems in career-best form. I can't see the mile being any problem – obviously 2,000m back to a mile but he's got speed. He's just a confident horse.'
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