James McDonald rides six Group winners at Randwick, suspended four meetings

James McDonald rode six winners at Royal Randwick on March 7, 2026, becoming the first jockey to pull off a six-timer at a Sydney Saturday metropolitan meeting since Jim Cassidy in 1987, but the day’s high was tempered by a four-meeting suspension for careless riding in the Todman Stakes. The wins included a Group 1 in the Canterbury Stakes and finished with Gangsta Granny in the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality, a $250,000 1200m race run as the closing event of the 10-race program.

All six victories were in Group or Listed company: Joliestar in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes for trainer Chris Waller, Chayan in the Reisling Stakes, Beadman in the Fireball, Pinito in the Aspiration Quality, Generosity in the Challenge Stakes, and Gangsta Granny in the Wenona Girl Quality for Team Hawkes. Gangsta Granny paid $2.80, carried 58kg and won by three-quarters of a length over Cosmonova, which was quoted at $41, with Asgarda ($81) a neck back in third. McDonald reflected on the mare’s condition: "I thought she looked pretty well placed today even with the 58kgs," adding that "She is a class mare and did run Autumn Glow to half a length."

Joliestar’s success in the Canterbury Stakes completed a major chapter of the afternoon, with Joliestar wearing the silks of Cambridge Stud and, according to reporting from the meeting, taking McDonald to within two Group 1s of Damien Oliver's all-time Group 1 total. McDonald paid tribute to his connections after the Canterbury victory: "Great horses, and working with a fantastic trainer in Chris," and "He’s a champion, and I’m just hanging onto the coattails really."

McDonald described the arc of the day in simple terms: "It was just one of those days where everything has fallen into place. The horses have presented to win and things have snowballed from there. You can feel them running well, you feel good on top of them. It's been a day to remember." A Sky Racing social post captured the scale of the achievement with the line "J-Mac has ridden 6 winners from 8 rides!" and video of Gangsta Granny’s last-to-first finish.

The celebration was checked by immediate disciplinary action: stewards found McDonald guilty of careless riding for causing interference on Hidrix in the Todman Stakes, he pleaded guilty, and Racing NSW imposed a four-meeting suspension that began the Sunday after Randwick. Despite the suspension, McDonald was cleared to ride at the Coolmore Classic meeting the following Saturday, a timing outcome noted by multiple reports and by McDonald’s camp.

The six-winner Randwick card also renewed discussion of McDonald’s earlier career milestones. Racenet reports this was his second six-winner haul, achieved previously at Otaki in New Zealand in 2011 when he was 19, while McDonald is quoted elsewhere as saying a New Zealand six-timer came in 2010. The discrepancy in the Otaki year remains in the record as the next verification step.

McDonald’s Randwick day combined headline-grabbing results and a penalty that will shape his short-term schedule: six Group or Listed winners including a Group 1, a $250,000 Wenona Girl Quality finale, and a four-meeting suspension that he begins immediately, with a planned return to ride at the Coolmore Classic next Saturday.