Growing force Wathnan Racing have once again secured the services of top international jockey James McDonald as they look to another successful Royal Ascot.
Wathnan Racing had five winners at the meeting last season, including Crimson Advocate with McDonald aboard. Retained rider James Doyle will have the pick of the string, but McDonald will no doubt have plenty of chances himself.
Speaking to the Press Association, via Racing TV, Wathnan’s Racing adviser Richard Brown said: “We’ve got a young fellow from New Zealand who’s not too bad called James McDonald on the teamsheet. James Doyle will have first choice on everything. But he will be giving James McDonald as much information as he can on the others we have.
“He’s a huge addition for the week and to have James Doyle riding as your first jockey and James McDonald as your second jockey, you are simply giving yourself the very best chance you can and it’s the best of both hemispheres working together, hopefully for success.”
“James McDonald is a top man and jockey” – Richard Brown
Crimson Advocate was McDonald’s fifth Royal Ascot winner, landing the Duke of Cambridge with Doyle third on Fallen Angel. He was crowned Longines World’s Best Jockey for a third time in 2025. His first Royal Ascot winner was aboard Expert Eye in the 2018 Group 3 Jersey Stakes. His Ascot highlight was a four length route on Nature Strip in the 2022 Kings Stand Stakes.
Richard Brown spoke of the friendship between his jockeys, as he added: “James McDonald is a top man and a top jockey and he’s great mates with ‘Doyler’. Which is important as they work together and there is a great picture from last year after he won on Crimson Advocate of ‘Doyler’ going over and giving him a fist pump which was very cool.
“James is a gent and will have some difficult decisions to make.I hope he gets them all right but inevitably in racing you might not.”
James McDonald will naturally have some rides elsewhere, including with Joliestar in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. The daughter of Zoustar is unbeaten in her last three starts, and was only a length behind the world’s best sprinter in Ka Ying Rising in the Everest. The International raiders dominated the race last season, and Joliestar could prove a class above the home team’s sprinters.