The jockey who was told to put on weight!
HOW times have changed for jockey PJ McDonald, who was once told to eat as much as he liked to have any hope of becoming a jump jockey.
By tonight, the man whose first winner in Britain came in a selling hurdle at Sedgefield in 2005 and who landed the 2007 Scottish National on Hot Weld, could be a Classic-winner thanks to Laurens, a leading candidate for the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) at Chantilly.
Then County Wexford nati ve McDonald’s chances of a first success at Royal Ascot are enhanced by a book of rides headed by Cosmic Law in Tuesday’s Coventry Stakes.
If the next few days pan out right for 36- year- old McDonald he will probably call the man he credits as the biggest influence on his career, former boss and retired jumps trainer Ferdy Murphy.
Hot Weld’s trainer was one of the first people McDonald rang after Laurens gave him his first Group One Flat race win in last season’s Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.
McDonald, who rode a career-best 128 wins in 2017 and already has 53 on the board this season, said: ‘Ferdy was instrumental in my career.
‘The confidence he gave me was unbelievable. I arrived on a month’s trial weighing 8st 2lb and, after a couple of weeks, he said there was a job there for me but I’d have to put on a stone if I wanted to be a jump jockey. That was fun but then I had to get it off again when I started to ride on the Flat!
‘Ferdy did a great job of protecting me through my early days jumping, putting me on the right horses, but when I was offered the chance to ride on the Flat his exact words to me were that I’d be stupid not to give it a go.
‘Ferdy pushed me to where I am today. He still watches me and sends me messages. He will dismiss this, but I don’t think I would have won on Laurens If it hadn’t have been for him.’
McDonald is into his second year being retained by Laurens’ owner John Dance and is also a regular on horses trained by Mark Johnston, who will supply his Ascot Stakes mount Dominating on Tuesday.
He just missed out on the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Laurens when she was beaten by 66-1 shot Billesdon Brook. Laurens has since won the Group One Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp.
McDonald said: ‘ She’s the best I have ridden by miles. She is something else. The 1,000 Guineas was very bitter-sweet. Laurens ran an absolute cracker but to get beaten by something we had already beaten and I did not see as a danger was a bit of a kick in the teeth.
‘She is a filly who is never going to win by far, that’s her style. But I know how good she is. We are very confident going into Sunday.’
Of Cosmic Law, six-length winner of the Woodcote Stakes, McDonald added: ‘ He was very impressive when winning at Epsom. He has to step up again but he looks to be progressing. I would not swap him if he turns up in the same form.’