James McDonald has been suspended for seven meetings and fined HK$60,000 for causing the incident that left Lyle Hewitson flat on the Sha Tin turf on Sunday.
Conscious after a nasty fall from Joyful Hunter, Hewitson was taken to Union Hospital for scans after injuring his knee and toe.
He confirmed to the Post that despite feeling sore and sorry for himself, he’s hopeful his injuries wouldn’t lead to a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Hewitson fell after Joyful Hunter appeared to clip heels at the top of the straight, with McDonald pleading guilty to careless riding after beginning the domino effect that led to the fall in the Class Three Lukfook Joaillerie Handicap (1,200m).
Two back on the rail cornering for home aboard eventual winner Swift Ascend, McDonald – who was recently crowned the 2024 Longines World’s Best Jockey – muscled his way out into clear running, making heavy contact with Lucky Archangel and forcing that horse into the path of Joyful Hunter.
McDonald, who is on a short-term Hong Kong contract which runs until next Sunday, will begin his suspension on December 26 and return in time to partner Voyage Bubble in the Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) on January 19, however, he will miss Australia’s mega-rich Magic Millions race day on the Gold Coast.
The Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained Joyful Hunter bounced back to his feet after the incident and appeared to come through unscathed, while David Eustace-trained $2.3 favourite Swift Ascend surged to a convincing half-length victory.
The fall created carnage in the back half of the field, with Aeris Nova doing well to stay upright under Hugh Bowman after effectively having to hurdle the tumbling Joyful Hunter and Hewitson.
Bowman did well to keep his balance, while it was a miracle that Zac Purton stayed in the saddle after Super Infinity was severely checked and the galloper’s bridle became displaced.
Endued joined Aeris Nova and Super Infinity in being eased out of the race after having to veer sharply right under Vincent Ho Chak-yiu to avoid running up the back of Super Infinity.
The fall brought back memories of the horror fall in the 2021 Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), in which Hewitson suffered a fractured pelvis and Purton fractured his ribs, wrist, nose and foot.
McDonald’s suspension was the lengthiest of three on the day, with stewards heaping the pain on struggling jockeys Antoine Hamelin and Jerry Chau Chun-lok.
Hamelin received a one-meeting suspension for careless riding aboard I Am The Boss in race five, while Chau committed the same offence atop Golden Artie in race 10 and was hit with a two-day holiday.
