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Craig Kerry
July 25, 2026 — 5:07pm
Champion jockey James McDonald was calculating just how much he was in his wife’s good books after Astronomix was part of a winning double at his first meeting back at Randwick on Saturday.
McDonald, about to tie 1960s legend George Moore with a record 10th Sydney jockeys’ premiership and eighth straight, had not ridden at home since May 27, and he eased back into action following a month-long break with five rides at the penultimate NSW city meeting of the season.
The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Astronomix ($3.90), a last-start winner at Canterbury, was McDonald’s second ride back and came with a wide run to wear down Nullarbor Jane by a length in the 1300m benchmark 72 handicap for three-year-olds.
“He’s fitter than me, I know that,” McDonald quipped.
“He might be a progressive little horse. Now is his time, he likes the wet ground. He’s no world-beater, but he tries his heart out.”
The comeback victory was even sweeter given McDonald’s wife, Katelyn, is a part-owner of the horse. First prize plus the BOBS bonus of $38,500 took the total windfall for connections to $121,000.
“I think it was BOBS race, too,” he said smiling.
“It’s actually a good pay. She’ll be over the moon.”
McDonald later rated Kris Lees-trained Hawker Hall ($6.50) well out front in the 1100m benchmark 88 to beat Istolea Merc by a long head. The brace took him to 90 winners for the NSW metro season, 12 clear of next best Zac Lloyd.
Astronomix gave O’Shea and Charlton a double on the day, after Lloyd won on Scintillation. The I Am Invincible filly, a $7.50 chance, raced in third spot before taking over at the 250m mark and winning the two-year-old 1100m handicap by three-quarters of a length from Suasion.
Stable representative Jordan O’Shea said the group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 15 was a likely second-up start for Scintillation.
Alysha Collett was suspended three meetings (August 2-7), reduced from seven, for careless riding on Suasion when shifting in on Iced Fury at the 150m mark.
Lees, meanwhile, said he would space Hawker Hall’s runs into the spring after the first-up win.
“He’s going to have to keep stepping up, but he’s certainly up to open company, that listed type level,” Lees said.
Widdup excited about new year potential
Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup labelled the rise of Satono Jasmine through the grades as incredible after she made it four on the trot with a last-to-first win at Randwick.
The three-year-old swept to victory in the 1800m benchmark 78 for fillies and mares, beating Horizons by a length and a quarter. Her winning streak started with a Gosford maiden and continued through a Hawkesbury benchmark 68, Warwick Farm fillies and mares benchmark 72 and then a career-best run on Saturday.
“I don’t know where it’s coming from,” Widdup said.
“I thought she could win a maiden and maybe a class one, but not many do what she’s doing.
“I’ll give her a break. I won’t be charging into the spring now. I’ll probably try and win a couple of races after Christmas and see where that leads to.”
Sly Boots on the right ground for Waterhouse-Bott
Sly Boots capped a big week for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott yard with an overdue win at Randwick on Saturday.
The five-year-old, having his sixth start this preparation, was tough late to hold out Perfect Justice by a half neck in the 1800m benchmark 78 handicap for the boys.
It was a first win for Sly Boots since saluting at Randwick in December and came after Waterhouse and Bott won the race to secure the vacant 65-box Leilani Lodge stables on-course at track on Thursday.
Bott was relieved to get the win after Sly Boots struggled on heavy ground last start when third after getting a gun run.
“His last start was very good, but he just laboured a bit in that ground,” Bott said.
“He’s hit a few heavy tracks, he’s had some tough draws and has been caught wide.
“Up to 2000 might be as far as he wants it, but he can be really effective at a mile and he’s got a pretty good record here at Randwick.”
Asked if Sly Boots could be a Big Dance horse, Bott said: “Could be. I’m not sure how many more runs we can get this prep to qualify him. That’s probably the hardest part.”
The win was part of a double for Rachel King, who also rode Sir Les to victory.
Sir Les rewards Carmody for hard yards
Sir Les gave Randwick trainer Craig Carmody a satisfying win when he stormed clear in the 1100m benchmark 72 handicap.
The three-year-old, named after trainer Les Bridge and comedian Barry Humphreys’ character, Sir Les Patterson, won his first two starts before coming fifth at Rosehill. Carmody, an 11-time group 1 winning jockey, then gave Sir Les a let-up to work on his racing manners firsthand.
The 58-year-old rode him extensively in work to get him to settle better, and it paid off with a three and a half-length win over Benevac.
“He likes to go a little bit keen, he’s a bit aggressive, so I did a lot of slower work,” Carmody said.
“When he tried to get ahead of me, I’d get him back to virtually a trot, a slow canter, and eventually he would give in to me. So just repetition, day after day, got it through his head that you don’t have to run through the bridle.
“All that effort was well worth it.”
Carmody said he would spell Sir Les before bringing him back in the late summer, early autumn.
Bittersweet Highway double for Scone trainer
Scone trainer Cameron Crockett described it as “bittersweet” when Leovanni ($7) scored back-to-back Highway wins at Randwick on Saturday.
The former Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained mare wore down Moon Sweeper as a $20 chance two weeks earlier at Randwick for a breakthrough city win, and this time lead throughout under Alysha Collett for a three-quarter length victory.
Crockett paid $40,000 online for Leovanni a year ago but had to carry the load himself after struggling to find owners. That was until she broke through for him at Tamworth, before the Highway double.
“I sold 75 per cent of her before she won her last Highway,” Crockett said.
“I thought if I don’t sell her now, she’ll get beat and no one will want her.”
Crockett said he will give the four-year-old a freshen up before finding another target.
