PJ McDonald targets landmark victory at Ascot after Laurens' Classic ride

FLAT jockey PJ McDonald has already fulfilled one ambition this week. He's now a Classic-winning rider after Laurens, his horse of a lifetime, showed remarkable resilience to win the French Oaks.
Laurens and PJ McDonald celebrate their famous win in the French Oaks.Laurens and PJ McDonald celebrate their famous win in the French Oaks.
Laurens and PJ McDonald celebrate their famous win in the French Oaks.

Fast forward 48 hours and now the North Yorkshire rider – who was winning the Scottish National on Ferdy Murphy’s staying steeplechaser Hot Weld 11 years ago – harbours high hopes of a landmark first Royal Ascot winner.

He partners Richard Fahey’s exciting prospect Cosmic Law in today’s six furlong Coventry Stakes for two-year-old future champions and McDonald heads to Flat racing’s most prestigious meeting in the form of his life.

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Uniquely, the likable 36-year-old will be riding in his third country in as many days. After winning the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on the Karl Burke-trained Laurens, McDonald was in action at Ayr yesterday before making the long journey south.

Laurens, centre, wins a pulsating renewal of the French Oaks.Laurens, centre, wins a pulsating renewal of the French Oaks.
Laurens, centre, wins a pulsating renewal of the French Oaks.

He thrives on it. Two weeks ago, he rode a winner at Haydock before making the 213 mile trip to Sandown’s evening meeting. Traffic delays meant he missed his first two rides at the Surrey track – and then fell on the way to the start in his one remaining race.

A horseman who has grafted his way to the top, his burgeoning association with the increasingly influential John Dance, who owns both Laurens and Cosmic Law, means that he’s no longer renowned as the former jump jockey who switched codes to keep busy in the summer of 2007.

And it’s why, on the journey to Ayr, he reflected on the magnitude of his high-profile successes of Laurens who is now a triple Group One-winning filly following top level successes at Newmarket last year, and Longchamp last month, bookended a gutsy second in the 1000 Guineas over a less than ideal mile.

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Yet it was McDonald who advocated the step up in trip to 10 furlongs for the Prix de Diane and it is the County Wexford-born rider who believes Laurens will be even better over a mile and a half in the Yorkshire Oaks later this summer.

Karl Burke, PJ McDonald and John Dance celebrate the French Oaks success of Laurens.Karl Burke, PJ McDonald and John Dance celebrate the French Oaks success of Laurens.
Karl Burke, PJ McDonald and John Dance celebrate the French Oaks success of Laurens.

“It’s still a bit surreal to be honest,” McDonald told The Yorkshire Post. “Very surreal. It was an amazing day from start to finish, you know what I mean? Some unforgettable memories.”

Despite a seemingly unfavourable outer draw, the rider had the tactical awareness – and also so much confidence in Laurens – to wait for the horse on his immediate inner to settle before taking up a prominent position.

Turning into the home straight at Chantilly, Laurens hit the front and simply repelled allcomers – six were in contention at one point – before securing a blanket finish win which was more dominant than the official margin of neck. Even Aidan O’Brien’s well-regarded Happily, denied a clear run, was not able to close on the winner in the final strides.

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“We were always going to go forward if she jumped good. Once we got into a nice position, everything went to plan,” said the no-nonsense McDonald. “She was very strong at the line. They were all queuing up to get to her, but 50 yards from the finish, she was going away from them.

PJ McDonald partners Epsom winner Cosmic Law at Royal Ascot today.PJ McDonald partners Epsom winner Cosmic Law at Royal Ascot today.
PJ McDonald partners Epsom winner Cosmic Law at Royal Ascot today.

“She has a great will to win and a brilliant constitution. You know, this was her third Group One race since the start of May. She just loves racing and she takes it so well.”

McDonald and the aforementioned Dance have become a powerhouse of Northern racing after initially teaming up with Constable Burton trainer Ann Duffield. They clicked and are now living the dream with horses of the calibre of Laurens who could return to France for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s blue riband race, in October if she keeps improving.

“The day I got off her in the Guineas, I knew she would take some beating in the French Oaks,” disclosed McDonald. “She can maintain a high cruising speed and lengthen off it in the home straight. They were all lined up behind her and she broke their hearts. It’s a brave shout to step up in trip again. She’s a three-time Group One winner and it’s brave to say she will be better again, but I think she will improve again.”

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However it’s a view shared by Leyburn-based Burke who was recording the biggest win of his training career two years to the day since the now retired Quuiet Reflection won Royal Ascot’s Commonwealth Cup. “I’m pretty sure we’ll go for the Yorkshire Oaks now, I’ll give her a two or three week break.

“If we don’t freshen her up now, we could pay for that in the autumn. To get that first Classic, it hasn’t really sunk in yet and it probably won’t until we sit down in a week and digest it.”

Meanwhile, McDonald says Cosmic Law will have to improve again from his win at Epsom’s Derby meeting if the colt is add to the rider’s big race record.

“He’s got a good chance,” said the jockey. “It’s a very competitive race and he will have to improve. I haven’t sat on him since Epsom but Richard (Fahey) thinks he’s improved quite a bit. We’re going there confident of running a big race. There are 24 horses and about 12 are going there with the same aspiration. It’s a very competitive race. If it happens, it happens.”

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Like all Flat riders, McDonald wants a Royal Ascot winner on his CV. “I haven’t had one and I would like to.” Yet he also knows that he has to keep grafting – and that means travelling the length of the country if unfulfilled ambitions are to be realised.

“You just have to. Same as every other jockey,” he says matter-of-factly. “You don’t get time to reflect because the next race is on you. The highs and lows of racing. You just don’t know what will happen from one half hour to the next.”

It also explains why PJ McDonald has not decided how to spend his share of the £500,000-plus that Laurens won at Chantilly for connections. “I won’t have time,” he adds. “Too busy. And I hope it stays that way.”