With five city meetings remaining in Sydney, Kiwi whiz kid James McDonald looks set to capture his first Sydney Metropolitan Jockeys Title, reports Racing Network.
McDonald will resume riding in Sydney on Wednesday after completing a suspension incurred in Singapore, and he is just two wins behind Nash Rawiller on the premiership table with 68 wins.
Rawiller, with 70 wins in Sydney this season, is riding on contract in Japan and will not be returning to Sydney to ride again this season.
At just 22 years of age McDonald has had a remarkable rise to the top since his boom apprentice days in his homeland.
Even more remarkable is the fact McDonald has achieved his numbers in Sydney this year without being a stable rider for any of the three majors – Darley, Waterhouse or Waller.
Most of his wins have come from Team Hawkes and John O’Shea, before O'Shea moved to Darley as head trainer early in May.
Tommy Berry is currently in third place on the jockeys table, 12 wins behind McDonald. With just five meetings in the season remaining he’s not a winning chance this year.