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By Mark Brassel

James McDonald heads into Saturday’s Day 2 of The Star Championships at Royal Randwick as a firm favourite to claim the 2023 Nathan Berry Medal.

McDonald is currently sitting in sixth position on just the two points, accumulated by finishing second on Talbragar in the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final on Day 1 last weekend.

On Saturday he has some plum rides in each of the seven Championships races, hence, his short quote to claim the prestigious Medal.

Zac Purton, who is back in Hong Kong and will not be riding at Randwick, leads the Nathan Berry Medal race on five points after winning the Doncaster Mile (Mr Brightside) and finishing runner-up in the TJ Smith Stakes (Giga Kick).

Zac Purton after winning on Mr Brightside. Image by Bradley Photographers

Sam Clipperton and Joao Moreira are in hot pursuit in equal second position with four points followed by Luke Nolen and Tim Clark on three points.

The Nathan Berry Medal is presented to the most successful jockey over the 12 races of The Star Championships and pays tribute to the former top jockey who passed away in early April 2014.

Nathan was 23 and had great success kicking home 351 winners with his biggest victory being on Unencumbered in the Magic Millions in January 2014.

The Nathan Berry Medal point score is determined on a 3-2-1 basis across the 10 Group races along with the Finals of the Country and Provincial-Midway Championships, with the winner announced at the completion of the final race of The Star Championships (Saturday 8 April).

The Nathan Berry Medal is unique as it features Nathan’s initials ‘NJB’ in the same font Nathan carried on his racing jodhpurs and is adorned by a light blue & dark blue ribbon – mirroring the colours he carried on Unencumbered.

Nash Rawiller snared last year’s Nathan Berry Medal with 10 points following his masterclass ride aboard Think It Over in the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He edged out Brenton Avdulla (7 points) and James McDonald (6pts) with Tommy Berry and Craig Williams next on five points.

LATEST POINTS SCORE
5 - Zac PURTON
4 - Sam CLIPPERTON, Joao MOREIRA
3 - Luke NOLEN, Tim CLARK
2 - James McDONALD, Brett PREBBLE, John ALLEN, Hugh BOWMAN
1- Ellen HENNESSY, Dylan GIBBONS, Andrew GIBBONS

Latest TAB Market
$1.25 - James McDONALD
$8 - Joao MOREIRA
$15 - Zac PURTON, Hugh BOWMAN, Sam CLIPPERTON, Tim CLARK
$26 - Kerrin McEVOY
$51 - Brett PREBBLE, Damian LANE, John ALLEN
$101 - Brenton AVDULLA, Ben MELHAM

Honour Roll
2022 - NASH RAWILLER
2021 - JAMES McDonald
2020 - GLEN BOSS
2019 - HUGH BOWMAN
2018 - BLAKE SHINN
2017 - HUGH BOWMAN
2016 - HUGH BOWMAN
2015 - HUGH BOWMAN
2014 - TOMMY BERRY/JAMES McDonald (tie)