James McDonald booked for second appearance at The Pinnacles

Star jockey James McDonald will get another chance at Group 1 success in Perth in Saturday week’s MCA Polytrack-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).

Fresh from riding two Group 2 winners in Hong Kong on Sunday, James Mcdonald has been booked to ride the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Lady Laguna in the $1.5 million event.

McDonald had success aboard the mare earlier this year on Magic Millions Day at the Gold Coast and in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

The OTI Racing-owned mare went on to win the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) later in her autumn campaign.

OTI Racing CEO Terry Henderson said securing McDonald’s services was a great boost to Lady Laguna’s hopes in the Weight-For-Age event.

“We are very grateful to have James on,” Henderson told Racing WA Thoroughbreds.

“He rode a winner for us over the carnival and he rides regularly for Annabel and Rob.

“If Lady Laguna has an achilles heel it’s that she’s better going right-handed.

“We don’t think it’s as big an issue as it was when she was a younger horse.

“If there’s anyone that can get her going left-handed, it’ll be James.”

Henderson said the Winterbottom Stakes was the perfect opportunity for the daughter of Overshare to score another win at the top level and could stay in Perth for the Gold Rush (1400m).

“She’s coming into the race relatively fresh still,” he said.

“She got tugging a bit down the straight at Flemington last start (Champions Sprint), but she seems extremely well and not at the end of her prep.

“She will have this run, and she may run in the 1400 too.”

Henderson enjoyed Group 1 success in Perth when Send Me An Angel took out the WA Oaks (now Group 3) in 1986, while Gailo Chop finished second in the 2019 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) behind Kay Cee.