McDonald gets his 400th winner

Stuart McDonald claimed his 400th harness racing driving success on Monday, on board the Lara Brennan trained Shes Lush (Betterthancheddar), his only drive on the day.

At just 28-years-old, McDonald has added two Gr1 features to his resume, with a win in 2020 on board Caviar Star NZ in the Retravision Fremantle Cup for trainer Gary Hall Snr, and then in 2022 in the Alabar Bloodstock Ladyship Cup on Spellbound NZ for Nathan Purdon.

Making his way to WA when he was just 16 years old, McDonald was given the opportunity to work at the stables of Greg Schofield 12 years ago, and after a year-and-a-half there, he moved on to Ross Olivieri, where he spent the next three-and-a-half years.

“I was working in the mornings before school, going out and working for Wayne Higgs (In NZ) and he had someone on the property that knew Greg Schofield and Greg was looking for a worker and I fit the bill, so they organised me getting over and working for him.”

After his stint at Olivieri’s, McDonald made the decision to relocate to Sydney for six months, before finding himself back in WA, settling in at Gary Hall Snr’s stables for the next three-and-a-half-years-, before once again making the move East, where he worked in the astute stables of Nathan Purdon, an experience that provided many thrills for the young reinsman.

“Being associated with Spellbound NZ whilst I was in Melbourne, I think I won 12/13 races on her and a Group 1, travelled around the country, I went to Syndey to drive her and Brisbane to drive her, she was really good to me.”

SHES LUSH REPLAY

McDonald spent 18 months in Victoria, before ultimately making the decision to move back to WA, one he’s extremely content with.

“I love WA, it’s home,

“I don’t think I’ll ever go back to New Zealand.”

Eventually looking to take on training in a more full-time capacity in the years to come, McDonald currently has a small team in work, with three horses in his stable, including Cloud Nine NZ who won last start at Gloucester Park on Friday September 29.

“I want to keep doing it (driving) I enjoy it, but I’m really looking at the training side of things more and in the next couple of years that’s probably what I’ll move my focus towards.”

When asked if he had any goals for the future, McDonald responded, “I’d love to be able to train a Group 1 winner one day, but that’s easier said than done, but I just want to keep driving to my ability.”

McDonald heads to Gloucester Park tonight for just the two drives, Lord Publisher NZ in race 2 and Immachulate in the last, race 9.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ashleigh Paikos, for RWWA