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By Ray Hickson

Champion jockey James McDonald is playing down the hype on boom colt Wodeton but is expecting the youngster to make some kind of statement on debut at Rosehill on Saturday.

James McDonald

McDonald is certainly no stranger to partnering million dollar yearlings, purchased as a stallion prospects, and he says the son of Wootton Bassett is showing everything he needs to at this stage of his career.

The Chris Waller-trained colt was secured for $1.6 million and has some big names in the ownership including Coolmore and John Camilleri’s Fairway Throroughbreds.

He opened $1.80 with TAB in the Chandon Handicap (1100m) and is already on the fourth line of betting at $15 for the $5 million Golden Slipper in March so there's a real sense of anticipation about him.

“We’ve been in this situation before, with these syndicate horses, he’s no different to any others,’’ McDonald said.

“We want him going there and executing well and running to the best of his ability. And I’m sure he’ll do that.”

Joao Moreira partnered Wodeton in his first barrier trial back in late October before McDonald jumped on board when he ran a close second to Namaste just under two weeks ago.

He said the colt is typical of the stallion, has an excellent attitude and added if he wanted he could have easily won the trial.

“He’s a nice horse, he trialled nicely the other day and in hand,’’ he said.

“He’s only had one (recent) trial, he’s a lovely horse at the moment and hopefully he can do the job on Saturday.

“He’s got off to a flying start, Wootton Bassett, and as a sire it can’t be any better to be fair.”

Connections of Osipenko will be hoping McDonald can weave some of his magic in the Listed $200,000 Asahi Super Dry January Cup (2000m).

Waller elected to scratch the gelding from The Lakes last weekend with this race in mind and it’ll be just the third time McDonald has been called on to ride.

His previous jobs resulted in a third in the 2023 The Gong and fourth in the Group 3 Shannon Stakes last spring but he said Osipenko appears to be racing well looking at his narrow defeat in the Summer Cup last month.

“His last start was great, just getting pipped on the post, hopefully he can go one better,’’ he said.

“He’s been pretty consistent of late, he’s raced against the best horses around. In Doncasters, Group 1s, he’s been a pretty good horse.”

Osipenko’s last win was Group 3 Frank Packer Plate back in April 2023 and he'll carry top weight of 59kg on Saturday.

Among McDonald’s other assignments at Rosehill is Godolphin three-year-old Polyglot who resumes in the Precise Air Handicap (1100m).

The gelding has won one of his four starts and ran fifth behind subsequent Everest placegetter Growing Empire in Listed company at Flemington in September.

McDonald put Polyglot through his paces to win a Rosehill trial recently and liked what he felt.

Wodeton runs second in a Warwick Farm trial on January 3

“He trialled really nicely, he gave me a nice feel so I’m looking forward to him,’’ he said.

The eight-time premiership winner hasn’t ridden in Sydney since November 13, he's back in action at Canterbury on Friday night, but still holds a healthy 10 win lead in the 2024/25 race.

He’ll be jetsetting once again following the Rosehill meeting, to Hong Kong where he’ll ride Voyage Bubble in a Group 1 on Sunday while next weekend he links up with Romantic Warrior as the champion starts his Dubai campaign.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting