McDonald did not go around one horse during the race - had he done so the first two placings would have been reversed.
McDonald let go a big sigh of relief, something that will be exceeded only if he gets another win on Wednesday.
For those who believe there is something in a horse's name - the argument is finally settled.
Niki Piki Milo confirms it.
At the risk of offending owners Eric Watson and Nicky Schuck (you can offend a person's spouse, but not their horse is the old line), could there be a worse name?
Call them anything you like: they will never know and if they do they won't care.
Niki Piki Milo, Milo around the Williams stable, looks like the complete racehorse, now unbeaten in her barrier trial and in two raceday starts.
Her $50,000 Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes win on Saturday shows she has speed and plenty of guts. She started to lose her way when in front alone in the home straight, something that would have beaten many inexperienced 2-year-old fillies, but she simply gutsed it out.
"She's pretty tough," says co-trainer Dawn Williams. "She looks like a gelding and is very strong for a filly. What helps her, though, is that although she will tow you around the birdcage, she's not actually toey in her attitude. That will stand by her."
Dawn Williams said she and husband Peter were unsure how Niki Piki Milo would handle the firm tracks of summer, but winning rider on Saturday Danielle Johnson says that the filly will be effective in all conditions.
Peter Williams said he was particularly impressed with Johnson's effort on the filly.
"Danielle is naturally a left-handed whip rider and late in the race when the filly was ducking about Danielle surprised me when she pulled the whip through to her right hand and rode the filly out.
"That's what won us the race. I was very impressed.
"We'll give her a brief freshen up and probably look at the Wanganui Guineas."
The record Easybet payout was reached with Saturday's $500,000 terminating Turbo Pick6.
The previous highest Easybet collect was the $450,000 paid out on the Triple Trio on Rotorua Cup Day.
One $10 internet Easybet took away the entire guaranteed half a million dollars.
There was only one live ticket going into the last leg at Otaki and most were staggered to learn that one ticket was a winner when hurdler Thatz David won and paid $25.20.
The TAB's Michael Dore says: "A $10 Easybet Pick6 gives you 5-2-2-1-1-1, which means the winning ticket included each of the last three winners in one [Kayzed $19.10, Radar $7.30, Thatz David $25.20].
"There was one chance in 4000 of those three horses all winning."
Craig Grylls says the sticky Otaki track brought the favourite, Purcentage, undone in the Ryder Stakes.
"It's a long time since I've ridden on a track as gluey as that one, she just couldn't hit out properly in the footing," said Grylls.
"I thought it was still a very good effort to run third because she was starting to struggle on the home turn. That run did nothing to alter the big opinion I have of her."
