'Charlie has been unbelievable to me' - McDonald repays Hills faith in style

Wednesday: Royal Hunt Cup, Royal Ascot

It was not worth as much prize-money or prestige, but James McDonald was every bit as emotional after this Royal Hunt Cup victory on Dark Shift as he was in the aftermath of Nature Strip's sizzling show in the King's Stand 24 hours earlier.

This you see was payback. He was repaying the faith Charlie Hills showed in him all those years ago when he arrived in Lambourn as a lost teenager seeking a future. The first steps on the path to international stardom were made there and he has never looked back.

"When I was an 18-year-old kid I came over here with a suitcase," McDonald said.

"Charlie and Pip [his wife] took me in and I lived with them for three months. They gave me every opportunity to ride a massive amount of winners. I enjoyed it so much and, if it wasn't for them, I definitely wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.

"They could have easily put me in a cottage and made me find my own way, but for them to nurse me along when I was so young is testament to the people they are.

"That's why it's such a special win. Charlie is one of my greatest pals, he's a fantastic trainer too. What Pip and Charlie have done for my career is just unbelievable and I can't thank them enough for all their support. Every year there are so many big-name jockeys who want to be riding these horses, but I'm lucky enough to find myself on them. That's because of Charlie."

So, then, why does Hills revert to an Aussie-based rider for the biggest week of the year?

"He's so good," urged the winning trainer. "I'm not taking anything away from our boys, we have some really good jockeys riding in England at the moment, but myself and James just seem to get on really well together. It's great to have him on our side."

A tremendous shot of the finish to the Hunt Cup won by the grey Dark Shift and James McDonaldCredit: Alex Livesey

The Group horse masquerading as a handicapper was supposed to be Legend Of Dubai, supported into 7-2 favourite, but he kept his disguise here and trailed in 20th of the 29 runners.

Instead it is Dark Shift who could be the Group horse, and Hills is convinced the best is still be to come from the four-year-old.

He said: "It was always the plan over the winter to run in the Victoria Cup. We ran there, but we had a terrible draw and we knew we needed to get the horse to run again to get him into the race. He ran at Nottingham and won very well there. He's from a slow-maturing family so could be very good."

He is already very good at Ascot and this was his fourth win from five starts at the track. Perhaps he could even progress into a Queen Anne horse for next year. Are you available, James?

Day two at Royal Ascot:

Frankie Dettori suffers 'absolute shocker' as he struggles to remove blindfold

Under-fire Irad Ortiz handed five-day careless riding ban by stewards

'This is an absolute dream' - State Of Rest downs Bay Bridge for ecstatic Crosse

Jane Chapple-Hyam plots global campaign for 'special filly' Saffron Beach

'This sport can humble you - but we'll be back' - non-runner heartache for Head

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