World-class rider James McDonald will spend his longest time in the saddle yet in Hong Kong after the Jockey Club confirmed the New Zealander among the riding the ranks on a short-term contract to begin this month.
McDonald will be based in Hong Kong from November 23 up to January 1, 2024, both dates inclusive, marking his longest stay there after plenty of successful fly in, fly out missions in the past.
McDonald’s five-week stint comes at a time when Australian jockey Hugh Bowman is expected to be side-lined for up to eight weeks after a horror fall aboard the John Size-trained Tuchel at Sha Tin last Saturday.
Thank you everyone for all the well wishes.
I have a few fractures, nothing too serious thank God🙏🏼👌🏼 pic.twitter.com/M1VM9IRj5o— Hugh Bowman (@HugeBowman) November 11, 2023
In a statement released by the Jockey Club, it said that the Club’s Chief Medical Officer assessed Bowman on Monday, 13 November, and advised that Bowman fractured his right scapula and 3 vertebrae and is expected to be unfit to resume riding for a period of 6 to 8 weeks.
