James McDonald gets suspension reduction and will ride at Newcastle
James McDonald has had a suspension reduced on appeal.
Champion jockey James McDonald has successfully appealed the severity of a careless riding suspension and can compete at the $1m The Hunter meeting at Newcastle on Saturday.
McDonald had been suspended on a careless riding charge following his win on Roots in the Inglis Bracelet at Flemington on Oaks Day.
His appeal was held on Tuesday and the jockey had his penalty period reduced enabling him to ride at Newcastle.
Trainers were quick to secure McDonald's services for Saturday with Chris Waller booking the jockey to ride Skyman in The Hunter (1300m).
McDonald's other mounts include the in-form John O'Shea-trained Cotehele in the Karaka 2023 Benchmark 88 Handicap (1300m) and the promising import from the Kris Lees stable, Adjourn, in the Jack Newton Legend Mile (1600m).
The Hunter has attracted a capacity field of 16 (plus four emergencies) including Group 1 winners Apache Chase, In The Congo and Lion's Roar.
The feature race boasts such a deep field that last year's Villiers Stakes winner Brutality, former Provincial Championships Final winner Through The Cracks, and this year's Listed Takeover Target Stakes winner Blondeau are emergencies.
Boom sprinter Waihaha Falls had been early favourite for The Hunter but he has been made fourth emergency.
The O'Shea-trained Waihaha Falls has also been entered for the Karaka 23 Handicap where he is topweight with 63kg but apprentice Reece Jones will take 1.5kg off the sprinter's impost.
The benchmark 88 sprint has also attracted a full field of 16 starters (plus two emergencies) with a spill-over of 10 runners who missed getting into The Hunter field including Coal Crusher, Titanium Power, Never Talk, Superium and Shaquero.
Emerging three-year-old talents Saveadateforme and Kazalark clash in the Group 3 $200,000 Spring Stakes (1600m) which also features the likes of Basquiat and Robusto.
Hall of Fame jockey Hugh Bowman has seven rides at The Hunter meeting, his last in Australia for three months as he leaves Saturday night for a short-term Hong Kong stint.
Bowman's rides including Gem Song in The Hunter, Reidener in the Spring Stakes and Kukeracha in the $300,000 The Beauford (2300m).
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