P J McDonald

Emulating Andrew Balding's former star Chaldean on Wednesday, Al Rabban Racing's Gewan (Night Of Thunder) came from the same Newbury novice to capture York's G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, an automatic qualifier for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Always prominent under P J McDonald throughout the seven-furlong contest, the 11-2 shot saw off Ballydoyle's Italy (Wootton Bassett) to score by 1 1/2 lengths, with 3 1/4 lengths back to the disappointing 11-20 favourite Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) in third. "He was very well bought by Billy Jackson-Stops, as...

Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. was missing Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), but it still had Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}--La Pyle (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and the hero of last year's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. copied that Shadwell contemporary in overcoming his own lengthy lengthy lay-off on Saturday. Understandably over-racing in the hands of P J McDonald behind the front-running West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) throughout the early stages, the 7-2 shot who had also won the G2...

The heat was on in Saturday's G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot, a "Win And You're In" for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in November, and there was no hiding place as Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) proved ruthless to prevail for the William Muir and Chris Grassick stable and jockey P J McDonald. Sent off at 18-1 with a below-par second in the June 3 G1 Coronation Cup last time tempering enthusiasm, last year's winner of that Epsom prize was always...