Champion jockey James McDonald has been suspended for seven Hong Kong race meetings following an incident at Sha Tin on Sunday that resulted in fellow rider Lyle Hewitson falling.
McDonald was found guilty of causing interference during the ninth race when his mount, Swift Ascend, veered out in the final stages, leading to Hewitson’s horse, Joyful Hunter, clipping heels.
Hewitson sustained a knee and toe injury from the fall, while Swift Ascend went on to win the race for first-season trainer Dave Eustace.
McDonald was also fined $12,100 (HKD equivalent) as part of his penalty.
The suspension, which runs from December 26 to January 19, rules McDonald out of the Magic Millions carnival on the Gold Coast, a significant blow to the high-profile event.
He will return to ride Voyage Bubble in the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup in Hong Kong after serving the ban.
The newly crowned World’s Best Jockey concludes his Hong Kong riding stint this Sunday, with the suspension marking a rare blemish in an otherwise stellar year.
