Latest news with #MalcolmJohnston
News.com.au
11-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Could be anything this season': Legendary hoops Shane Dye, Malcolm Johnston, Corey Brown and Jim Cassidy pick their spring stars
Lady Shenandoah is racing's next superstar, Ka Ying Rising wins The Everest, Nepotism has the most talent among the three-year-olds, Leica Lucy will rocket up the rankings and Via Sistina remains unchallenged as the nation's weight-for-age champion. This was the consensus of former champion jockeys Shane Dye, Corey Brown, Malcolm Johnston and Jim Cassidy who know a thing or two about what makes an elite racehorse. The retired riding greats won more than 300 Group 1 races between them, most won Sydney jockey premierships and have Hall of Fame honours, and each rode their share of champions. Shane Dye, winner of 96 Group 1 races including four successive Golden Slippers, is never afraid to voice an opinion and maintains Australia's best sprinters are racing for second behind Hong Kong's Ka Ying Rising in the $20 million The Everest this spring. 'Ka Ying Rising is a champion and I don't use that term very often,'' Dye said. 'He can use his speed at both ends of a race and still have the ability to quicken under pressure. 'At his last start Zac (Purton, jockey) took a sit on Ka Ying Rising and his acceleration in the straight was incredible. He runs unbelievably fast times with ease. 'In The Everest, it won't matter where he draws, he will settle on speed and then put three lengths on them when Zac asks him to sprint. The only worry is if it is a wet track but I can't see him being beaten.'' "He's the Usain Bolt of the equine world!" âš¡ Ka Ying Rising DOMINATES in the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin! ðŸ�† — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 27, 2025 • Dye is also adamant Horse of the Year-elect Via Sistina won't be seriously challenged at weight-for-age this spring, either. 'The trouble is that Australia's weight-for-age ranks are very thin and we don't have the geldings racing on like we did when I was riding,'' Dye said. 'Our weight-for-age stars are mainly mares these days and Via Sistina is just better than the others. 'But if there is one horse that no one has really noticed that could emerge this season it is Leica Lucy. 'She had outstanding New Zealand form last season and should have won the ATC Australian Oaks. She is a mare I will be following closely.'' We don't just like her, we love her! Leica Lucy wins the Oaks! In the @AlBasti NZ Oaks from @Racing_at_RACE, it's our filly of the year, trained by @PattersonStable & ridden by @CraigGrylls She now goes to Aus (@cwallerracing) and we'll watch her fly the flag with pride. 🇳🇿➡ï¸�🇦🇰 — Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) March 22, 2025 Corey Brown, the expert Sky Thoroughbred Central commentator who rode 49 Group 1 winners before a back injury prematurely ended his outstanding riding career, is adamant the Chris Waller -trained mare Lady Shenandoah is racing's 'next big thing'. 'If I was still riding, I would want to be on Lady Shenandoah this spring,'' Brown said. 'I know her stablemate, Autumn Glow, is all the rage but I really like the look of Lady Shenandoah. 'She was unbeaten in five starts last season but was nowhere near the finished product. She had a lot of maturing to do so I expect we will see her continuing to improve this season. 'Lady Shenandoah will be hard to beat in anything up to a mile at least. A race like the Golden Eagle will be perfect for her.'' Brown said Waller would be trying his best to keep the likes of Lady Shenandoah and Autumn Glow on separate paths to his champion mare Via Sistina this spring. 'I liked the way Via Sistina trialled the other day, she looked so big and strong and did it so easily,'' Brown said. 'I'm not going to say she has come back better than ever, but she doesn't need to be better to still be dominant at weight-for-age again this spring.'' The champ Via Sistina claims the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes with ease, equalling Winx's record of 7 Group 1's in a season! 🤩 What a mare! @cwallerracing | @mcacajamez | @YulongInvest | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025 • Johnston, the jockey they called 'Miracle Mal' and best known as the rider of one of the all-time greats, Kingston Town, was taken by the emergence of the Team Hawkes-trained colt, Nepotism, winner of the Champagne Stakes last season. 'Nepotism could be anything this season,'' Johnston declared. 'There's a number of very promising three-year-olds but if I had my choice of rides it would be Nepotism.'' A huge win for Nepotism in the G1 Champagne Stakes, coming from last! ðŸ'° @G1TySchil | @HawkesRacing | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 19, 2025 Johnston was also convinced Via Sistina would continue her dominance of weight-for-age racing after winning a record-equalling seven Group 1 races last season including the Cox Plate - Queen Elizabeth Stakes double. 'I just don't see any real threats to Via Sistina,'' Johnston said. 'I know she isn't getting any younger but she looked as good as ever in her trial the other day. 'What Via Sistina has in her favour is she's trained by Chris Waller and owned by Yulong and they look after their horses so well.'' Hall of Famer Jim 'The Pumper' Cassidy was only interested in talking about one horse – Via Sistina. 'The only horse I would want to ride this spring is Via Sistina,'' said Cassidy, winner of 104 Group 1 races including the Grand Slam of Australian racing, the Melbourne Cup (twice), Caulfield Cup (twice), Cox Plate and Golden Slipper. 'She is a champion mare and I don't think there is anything coming through that can beat her. 'With these outstanding mares, when they are 'on' they are just about unbeatable and there is no sign of her coming back to the field yet. 'If Via Sistina is still at the top of her game this spring, then it will be daylight second.''
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Never seen a better jockey': James McDonald closes in on Miracle Malcolm Johnston's mark
Hall of Fame jockey Malcolm Johnston is adamant James McDonald will claim his national riding record for most Group 1 wins in a season – it's just a matter of when. And Johnston also declared McDonald could ride an unthinkable 200 Australian Group 1 winners before the end of his riding career if he remains based in Sydney. These were Johnston's comments when interviewed by Racenet as McDonald closed in on his 16 major race winners in a season – a national record that has stood unchallenged since 1979-80. Just a week after trainer Chris Waller set a national record with 19 Group 1 winners for a season, McDonald is also poised to rewrite racing history at Eagle Farm. McDonald has ridden 15 Australian Group 1 winners this season and can equal or even break Johnston's longstanding record at Eagle Farm on Saturday when he partners Rothfire in the $3m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and Hidden Achievement in the $1m JJ Atkins (1600m). 'Records are made to be broken and J-Mac has the opportunity to set a new mark on Saturday that will probably stand the test of time,'' Johnston said. 'If he doesn't break my record this weekend then I'm sure he will one day – if it is not this year it will be in the years to come because he is going to break all the riding records.'' But like the time when Australian cricket captain Mark 'Tubby' Taylor decided to declare on 334 not out so he wouldn't surpass the legendary Sir Donald Bradman's highest Test score, Johnston is hoping McDonald equals but doesn't break his national riding record. • J-Mac confirmed for Rothfire's incredible Stradbroke bid 'I'd be very proud to share the record with J-Mac because I've never seen a better jockey,'' McDonald said. 'He's as good as Darren (Beadman), as good as Mick (Dittman), as good as Ronnie (Quinton). 'If James gets to 16 Group 1 wins then when you look at the replays of his next couple of Group 1 rides that will be me swinging off their tails. 'But to be fair, J-Mac has had a phenomenal season. He didn't have a Kingston Town like I had to win six Group 1 races in a season for me but he did have Via Sistina to help him.'' McDonald rode Via Sistina to win five Group 1 races during the season but did miss another two of the mighty mare's majors. The jockey chose to rode Fangirl in the Winx Stakes only to finish third behind Via Sistina and then he was in Sydney for Epsom Day but missed riding a Group 1 winner while the champion mare won the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. But McDonald's outstanding 2024-25 season has also included six international Group 1 wins to increase his Australian tally of majors to 92 and his overall career record to 119 Group 1 wins. • Johnston said it was remarkable to think McDonald was still only 32 years of age and rode his first Australian Group 1 winner on Scarlett Lady just 14 years ago. 'If J-Mac stays in Sydney, he could ride 200 Group 1 winners before he retires – and I'm not counting his international wins,'' Johnston said. 'I hope James does stay here because we are privileged to watch one the greatest ever do his thing each week but I believe he will eventually go to Hong Kong. 'Once he breaks 'Ollie's' record (125 Australian Group 1 wins and 129 in total) then I suspect he will consider going to Hong Kong because he might be looking for a new challenge. 'But he has the best of both worlds at the moment because he can go and ride in Hong Kong when he wants to and he still gets the best of the rides in Australia.''
