Jockey McDonald Added to Wathnan Team at Royal Ascot

James McDonald has been snapped up by Wathnan Racing to ride at Royal Ascot, as the jockey named the world's best in the Longines rankings will ride on the first three days at the meeting. McDonald, who memorably guided Nature Strip (AUS) to victory in the 2022 King's Stand Stakes (G1), will be on hand to ride the operation's second string with retained jockey James Doyle to get the choice in each race. The New Zealand-born rider can look forward to live chances aboard Underwriter (FR) in the Coventry Stakes (G2) and Crimson Advocate in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2), among others. Richard Brown, racing manager to Wathnan, said: "James Doyle is our number one, William Buick will get plenty of rides, and we'll give James McDonald some opportunities. We should have a good-sized team, with second choices with nice chances. "It's hard to get the top guys as they've got commitments but we reached out to James and he was happy to help. He's here for the first three days as he was coming to ride Carl Spackler. He gets in on Sunday and will be staying with James Doyle, who I'm sure will run him through the team." The Qatar-backed operation has emerged as a leading powerhouse at the meeting in the past few years, and has bought Night Raider (IRE) and Flora of Bermuda (IRE) to add to its team in the last few days.