The apprentice jockey James McDonald has set a New Zealand record for winners in a single season, riding home number 198 at the Counties meeting in Pukekohe to beat the record set by Lisa Cropp six years ago.
McDonald's mount Cool Cruising slogged through the mud to victory in the seventh race on the programme, just before the last two races were abandonned because of bad weather and fading light.
The 19-year-old McDonald has six more weeks remaining in the season to extend the record.
In the meantime, he'll be returning to the Brisbane Winter Carmival where he rode the New Zealand filly Scarlet Lady to victory in the Queensland Oaks last weekend.
