James McDonald wasn't even born when champion jockey Jim Cassidy first won the Group One Ranvet Stakes on Late Show in 1986.McDonald, the latest riding sensation across the Tasman, will be in illustrious company in Saturday's 2000m weight-for-age contest at Rosehill when he rides Keep The Peace against Cassidy and also Nash Rawiller, Glen Boss, Corey Brown, Hugh Bowman and Glyn Schofield.Shaune Ritchie, trainer of three-time Group One winner Keep The Peace, is a huge fan of the 19-year-old appre

James McDonald wasn't even born when champion jockey Jim Cassidy first won the Group One Ranvet Stakes on Late Show in 1986.

McDonald, the latest riding sensation across the Tasman, will be in illustrious company in Saturday's 2000m weight-for-age contest at Rosehill when he rides Keep The Peace against Cassidy and also Nash Rawiller, Glen Boss, Corey Brown, Hugh Bowman and Glyn Schofield.

Shaune Ritchie, trainer of three-time Group One winner Keep The Peace, is a huge fan of the 19-year-old apprentice and says Australians will see a talented horseman who is destined to become an international star.

Ritchie believes he will handle the occasion well in the Ranvet.

"It's a tricky question because as we all know those small weight-for-age races can turn into a test of tactics," Ritchie said.

"James, albeit only 19, he's right up with the best jockeys that have travelled over here (from New Zealand), including (Shane) Dye and Jimmy Cassidy, his ability is right there.

"He's going to end up an international jockey with or without Keep The Peace. Obviously I'm hoping Keep The Peace propels his international career and gets his profile lifted here in Australia but with or without her he will end up over here anyway, or certainly he's an international-class jockey."

McDonald has ridden Keep The Peace to two Group One victories and Ritchie said he deserved the Ranvet ride ahead of a Sydney hoop.

In just his fourth season McDonald has already won the New Zealand apprentices' title three times, the senior title once and has won four Group Ones.

It will be his first ride on a Sydney metropolitan track but he did win a race on the undercard to the Hawkesbury Gold Cup in November when he was a guest of the Hawkesbury Race Club.

"It's good to get a winner in Australia, you never know who is watching," he said that day.

Keep The Peace arrived from New Zealand on Monday and McDonald landed on Thursday and had a canter around on the mare at Rosehill on Friday.

Ritchie said Keep The Peace had settled in well and unlike previous preparations had been trained with Sydney races as her target.

Keep The Peace won at Group One level over 1600m at her most recent start, chasing down Emirates Stakes winner Wall Street at Otaki.

Ritchie is now keen to see how she measures up against the Cassidy-ridden favourite Maluckyday and Caulfield Cup winner Descarado, but expects her to perform to her best.

"The two favourites will be awfully hard to beat," Ritchie said.

"One has won the Caulfield Cup and the other (Maluckyday) ran second in the Melbourne Cup so you don't get any better form from a staying perspective.

"You always look for an advantage and I'm hoping that we've had that extra run under our belt which might help us from a fitness point of view.

"I'm sure they will improve into the BMW so my mare might get her best chance to have a crack at them tomorrow."