Columbus and Enviable get James McDonald's backing for Rosehill return
James McDonald anticipates that two exciting racehorses will make their mark in the spring carnival, as he gets set to ride Columbus and Enviable once more at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Les Bridge-trained Columbus and Chris Waller's Enviable will be under scrutiny when they compete in separate events, having both resumed with convincing victories at Newcastle earlier this month.
McDonald chose to ride Columbus in a midweek Hawkesbury race last October when the gelding broke his maiden status. He believes the promising four-year-old might have been a contender in the major three-year-old races had injury not hampered his progression.
Enviable also faced a setback, losing crucial time due to a paddock injury sustained after a spring campaign that included a fourth place in the Flight Stakes and a notable performance in a Group 2 event during the Melbourne Carnival.
Both horses demonstrated their renewed winning form at Newcastle on July 14 and are poised to be leading chances at Rosehill.
Enviable is the current $2.60 favourite for the Congratulations Chris Waller Handicap (1400m), while Columbus is the $2.20 favourite for the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1500m).
"I was gutted when he had a bit of time off," McDonald stated concerning Columbus.
"I thought he was a perfect Rosehill Guineas type of horse, so he's got huge talent. He's got a lovely record, unexposed. A bit like the filly as well.
"She has been exposed to the top level, but what she was doing at three – she was so unfurnished – the time off has done her the world of good, and that confidence win would have done her the world of good.
"They're two lovely horses."
The meeting at Rosehill on Saturday also marks the commencement of another Sydney jockeys' premiership season for McDonald. He secured his tenth overall title and an eighth consecutive crown during the 2025/26 racing season.
McDonald concluded the season with 91 Sydney metropolitan winners, holding a 12-win advantage over Zac Lloyd, but anticipates that retaining his title will become increasingly challenging.
"It will get harder, that's for sure. There is really good young talent," McDonald commented.
"As the years have gone by, the landscape has changed a little bit in terms of my travel and engagements. It will be similar to this year when I had so much time away and I was lucky to hang on."
Despite the jockey spending more time competing interstate and overseas, including his ongoing involvement with Hong Kong's star galloper Romantic Warrior, McDonald remains the benchmark jockey in Sydney, boasting a winning strike-rate above 25 per cent.
He is hoping to begin the new season in the same fashion as the last, when Amusing provided him with a winner on his initial metropolitan ride, with Columbus set to kick off his 2026/27 campaign at Rosehill.
The current Rosehill racing markets are drawing attention from those looking to place bets via Australian betting sites.
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