Superstar jockey James McDonald will return for another winter stint in Hong Kong, while the Jockey Club has also handed French young gun Alexis Pouchin a short-term licence.

McDonald’s contract will begin on the day he reunites with Romantic Warrior for November 17’s Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) and he will stay until December 22, while Pouchin’s stint will run from December 1 until January 31.

“I can’t wait, it’s going to be excellent,” McDonald told the Post. “It’s always a good time of year to be there and I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with a few familiar horses.”

McDonald collected 15 wins during his five-week stint at Sha Tin last season and managed to plunder more prize money during his stay than seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey Zac Purton.

The Kiwi ace is no stranger to top-level success at Sha Tin, with his brilliant partnership with Romantic Warrior yielding five Group One victories in Hong Kong to go with two abroad. He also speared Voyage Bubble to Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) glory in January.

“I can’t wait to see Romantic Warrior,” McDonald said. “He looks to be trialling terrific and working well. It’s always exciting when his name is mentioned.”

Romantic Warrior enjoyed a monster 2023-24 season with Group One victories in three countries and McDonald is itching to reunite with Danny Shum Chap-shing’s stable star for his 2024-25 campaign, which could include an audacious dirt tilt in the new year.

“It’s very exciting, another new challenge for him,” McDonald said. “I’m sure he’s going to run well in whatever they settle for. It’s definitely an exciting chapter.”

Pouchin has more than 400 career wins to his name and currently sits third in the French jockeys’ championship on 134 victories.

He joins countrymen Alexis Badel and Antoine Hamelin on the Hong Kong roster after his rapid rise in France over the past two seasons.

The 24-year-old has celebrated 10 victories at the elite level, five of which came courtesy of his successful association with the Andre Fabre-trained Mqse De Sevigne.

His most recent Group One win came when he speared Vertical Blue to a shock victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac (1,600m) on October 6.