James McDonald notches another Royal Ascot winner
Top jockey James McDonald has captured another highlight at Royal Ascot, this time aboard Crimson Advocate in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.
Crimson Advocate, a past winner of the Queen Mary Stakes as a two-year-old, returned to Royal Ascot as a more mature and versatile performer. After a testing run in the King Charles III Stakes last year, she rose to the occasion this time over a longer 1600m trip.
Fresh from placing in the Listed Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes and a victory at Goodwood, she struck again—this time on one of the biggest stages in international racing.
“Coming into it, the questions were whether she would relax well enough and if she ran a stiff mile, but she ticked all those boxes,” McDonald said.
“She relaxed and gave me a beautiful ride. She was fantastic. She was bubbling underneath me the whole way and, the further the race went, the more she actually gave me.”
When William Buick on Cinderella’s Dream pushed forward with 300m to go, McDonald still had plenty horse under him.
“She accelerated so quickly. She obviously has speed over five furlongs and, now she is stretching out over a mile, it bodes well for the future.”
For McDonald, who has now secured wins across multiple Royal Ascot meetings, it was another moment to cherish.
“It is really special to be here,” he said. “Royal Ascot is the most amazing carnival. Any opportunity to come to Royal Ascot, you take it with both hands, and it’s just a special place to be part of.”
McDonald previously teamed up with Australian star Nature Strip to win the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2022.
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