Racing: Cossey can take a bow for record

James McDonald. Photo / Glenn Taylor

Gary Cossey hasn't got the hair he had five years ago.

But the 40-year-old says it's not because he's been James McDonald's manager, responsible for every ride the champion jockey takes.

Well, maybe not totally, but ...

Cossey is also manager for Jason Collett, currently riding for Chris Waller in Sydney, and declares any pressure he feels comes from himself, not from his two top riders.

"Look, honestly, I've never had any pressure from either of them, but I'm my own worst enemy. I put plenty of pressure on myself, but that's the nature of the beast," says the Auckland form analyst.

Cossey can take a bow for arranging every ride James McDonald had in his record-breaking season.

Remarkably - because it can happen - there have been no major mistakes through the season, almost never getting on the wrong horse when it mattered.

"There was a bit of a bump when I took the ride on Nightime Jockey in the New Zealand Cup in favour of Zabeen and James had to lose a lot of weight to make the ride."

Neither horse won.

"But I put James through a lot. That wasn't too much of a major because he likes riding horses for Shaune Ritchie. It was just a hiccup."

Cossey got into racing through the harness racing involvement of his family.

"The family wasn't real, real racing, but my uncle trained a few trotters. I used to go to the Sunday harness trials at Pukekohe which were legendary and used to pick up a few winners."

Going to the races with racecaller Keith Haub and handicapper Dean Nowell sparked a greater interest in the thoroughbreds.

Then he received a call from Best Bets editor of the time Bob Lovett to work on the form guide.

The rest, including the receding hair, is history.

James McDonald is appreciative.

"Gary's been a huge help, actually massive.

"From the moment we got together we hit it off really well. It's been like a house on fire - I don't think I could have done it without him.

"He keeps the trainers happy and I reap a lot of benefit from that.

"I'm almost never on an outsider and that means a lot."

Gary Cossey analyses the McDonald mounts at Paeroa today:

Race 1: John Gray: "The 59kg is the question mark, but you can forget the last start failure, there was a chronic inside bias."

Race 2: Hawick Park: "He was third three starts back in a very good form race and things haven't gone right for him since. He's not the worst chance."

Race 4: Rusty Devil: "He's another one for whom the 59kg might be a question, but it's going to rain and the wetter the better for him. You can forget his last run as well."

Race 5: Brompton: "James rode him the other day and said he feels better than ever. He loves rain on the day and he's going to get that."

Race 6: Coolross: "Another who just loves the mud."

Race 7: Tart N Tartan: "Has won very well her last two even though you could say her last win was circumstantial. She looks one of his better rides."

Race 8: Tonbridge: "Has gone on the right way since winning last start. A good chance in what does not look a strong field."