Cambridge apprentice James McDonald has been confirmed as the rider of San Domenico Stakes winner Foxwedge in next month's $1 million Golden Rose.
Trainer John O'Shea needed to find a new rider for the talented colt after regular hoop Nash Rawiller copped a 12-meeting careless riding suspension at Randwick onWednesday, ruling him out of the Golden Rose (1400m) on September 10.
"James McDonald will ride him in the Golden Rose," O'Shea said.
McDonald has been lured to ride in Sydney by O'Shea a number of times in recent weeks including at Warwick Farm tomorrow, when the 19-year-old will partner the O'Shea-trained Golden Slipper placegetter Elite Falls in the Silver Shadow Stakes.
He has commitments at home on August 27 so won't be in the saddle for Foxwedge's Golden Rose lead-up in the Run To The Rose (1200m).
When McDonald was in Sydney last Tuesday week, he put Foxwedge through his paces in a workout at Randwick ahead of the colt's first-up win in the San Domenico Stakes (1100m). Foxwedge is on the fourth line of golden rose betting at $9 behind Smart Missile ($4) and Helmet ($5.50).
* Minimum weights in most handicap races will rise a kilo from January next year in one of several changes ushered in by the Australian Racing Board yesterday.
The ARB agreed to increase the minimum in general handicap races from 53kg to 54kg and the minimum topweight from 58kg to 59kg.
