Former city-level rider's remarkable return to the saddle

By Jordan Gerrans

Nearing a year sober from his lengthy battle with alcoholism, former city-level jockey Micheal McDonald feels he has his life and career back on the straight and narrow.

Only 39 years of age, Queensland jockey McDonald has not ridden in a race since back in April of 2017.

That will all change at Gympie on Saturday when he makes a low-key return to the saddle on the non-TAB circuit.

A $10,000 race on the sand at Gympie is a far cry from a Moonee Valley victory on a Saturday in early 2010 aboard New Venture before riding the mare in a Group 2 race just a few weeks later.

There has been plenty of water that has gone under the bridge since then. 

McDonald has battled with alcohol and substance abuse and lost his beloved brother in a work place accident, all of which played a role in his downfall from the heights of big-time city victories.

As he is set to officially return to the saddle on race day at Gympie on Saturday, the jockey has pledged to stay sober after not having a drink in eight months.

“I have got the help I needed,” McDonald said.

“I am on the straight and narrow now and I have got a good partner in Melissa Campbell that has helped me stay on this path. I am staying sober now.”

McDonald won 27 metropolitan races in his earlier stint riding in the Sunshine State and competed in an array of black-type events.

While he struggled with his weight at times as many jockeys do, McDonald admits that it was always his away from racing actions that led to his issues.

“My life spiralled out of control with substance abuse and alcoholism, it was mainly alcohol as I was drinking a lot,” the returning hoop said.

“My weight was impacted because of the drinking.

“It was always my off-track antics that did not help me in life.”

Deagon trainer Michael Lakey gave McDonald his last race ride at Kilcoy in late April of 2017.

Lakey will hand the returning hoop his comeback opportunity at Gympie on Saturday.

While McDonald had been away from race riding for a number of years at the time, he reflects that his life really spiralled out of control and he went ‘off the rails’ around three years ago.

Harley McDonald was tragically killed in a work place accident.

In detailing his lowest points, the former top jockey hopes that anyone struggling with personal or mental health issues can learn from his experiences.

“I was screaming out for help and I was doing it the wrong way,” McDonald said.

“I was being an idiot and it was chaos in my life. I eventually decided to turn my life around.

“Hopefully if someone is reading this, they can learn from my experiences and my mistakes and if it could help any young people struggling, that would be great.”

McDonald was involved with boxing back in the 1990s when he was a young fella and was mentored and coached by Brisbane’s Syl Johns.

Johns – who runs Kurbingui Boxing Club – pushed McDonald, following his brother’s passing, to attend Alcoholics Anonymous and go through a 12-step program to get sober.

The hoop says he is working on his sobriety every day, as well as riding a stack of track work at Aquis Park on the Gold Coast.

Currently living in Ballina in Northern NSW, McDonald heads up to the Glitter Strip every day to freelance as a track work rider for trainers such as Peter Robl, John Wallace, Jason Patton and John Zielke.

Gelding Freedom Avenue for Lakey will be his first ride back at Gympie Turf Club on Saturday.

While McDonald has shifted south in recent times, he previously worked and rode for a long period of time in Brisbane’s north at Deagon.

He was a foreman for Lakey at one stage and would love to repay him with a victory in Benchmark 55 Handicap grade over the 850 metre trip.

“He has been a big help in my recovery, as well, when I was foreman for him he gave me a place to live,” McDonald said of Lakey. 

“He helped me get back on track and hopefully now I can get myself around a bit and get my name out there a bit more to get my name out there for rides.

“I used to ride this horse track work for Mick, but that was a long while ago.

“Mick thinks this horse is going well and is a chance, so hopefully I can get a winner for him to repay him for all the things he has done for me.”

McDonald will ride at 61kgs on Saturday afternoon and is keen to get it down to 58kgs as early as next week and hopefully just lower it from there as his riding comeback gathers momentum.

He consistently rode at around 55kgs in his younger days but had to work hard on it.