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Sydney’s leading rider James McDonald has answered a call to ride for the powerful Te Akau stable at Ellerslie in New Zealand on Saturday week.

McDonald will miss the Carrington Stakes meeting at Randwick on Australia Day to ride for Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards in New Zealand’s richest 2YO race, the $NZ1 million Karaka Million (1200m).

Richards will be represented by five runners in the Karaka Million (1200m), all racing for Te Akau syndicates brought together by David Ellis.

Richards has finalised riders for his five qualifiers with McDonald to ride the classy Savabeel gelding Aotea Lad, a debut winner of the G2 Challenge Stakes at Trentham last month before finishing second over 1200m at Ellerslie on January 1.

Richards has confirmed that Opie Bosson will stick with early favourite Probabeel following her impressive victory at Ellerslie last Sunday.

Matthew Cameron will ride Yourdeel, a short neck second behind Probabeel at Ellerslie on Sunday.

Debut winner Louis Luck will be ridden by Shafiq Rusof and Jonathan Riddell rides the stakes placed Challa.

Te Akau Racing is aiming for a third successive win in the Karaka Million, having won with Melody Belle in 2017 and Avantage last year.

McDonald has ridden 57 Sydney winners this season and holds a comfortable 16 win lead over Hugh Bowman in the race for the premiership.

The former Kiwi jockey is fifth on the national premiership ladder with 73 wins, 34 behind Perth star William Pike.