Leading Sydney jockey James McDonald has been booked to ride Sarajevo in the Listed The Rosebud (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
James McDonald will partner Sarajevo throughout his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Godolphin only have one runner in The Rosebud and under the previous Darley regime, led by Peter Snowden, Godolphin number one jockey Kerrin McEvoy would be offered the ride on Sarajevo, but Darley Australian Managing Director Henry Plumptre told TVN this morning that John O’Shea opted to book McDonald on Sarajevo because he will ride the Lonhro colt in the Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30 and the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at the same venue on September 13, while McEvoy will ride Ghibellines in both races.
“There hasn’t really been a change of philosophy, but John is very much of the view that the jockey who will ride the horse in the big races needs to be the one on at the start,” Plumptre said.
“Obviously those two colts are going to clash at some stage and I think Kerrin wanted to stick with Ghibellines so James was an automatic for Sarajevo, I suppose we are lucky to have the services of both of them really.
“This is how it will work from now on, if we think we have a colt or a filly going in to the spring that will clash in a month or three weeks, we will try to stick to the same pilot if we can.”
Sarajevo made his racing debut in the Mossman At Vinery Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on April 21 and was immediately sent for a stint in the spelling paddock and touted as a leading contender for the Golden Rose.
The three-year-old made the first public appearance of his spring campaign when finished fourth behind Wandjina in a barrier trial over 733 metres at Royal Randwick on July 18 before defeating a strong field that included the likes of Villa Verde, Gypsy Diamond, Boban and Our Voodoo Prince in a barrier over 840 metres at Royal Randwick on Friday.
The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival path for Sarajevo will be determined after he runs in the Golden Rose; with both the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 11 and the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 1 both on the agenda for the talented colt.
Sarajevo is currently on the fourth line of betting and a quote of $10 in the 2014 Golden Rose betting market with Ladbrokes Australia.
