JOCKEY PJ McDonald is feeling lucky ahead of the 'Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor' Festival, which starts tomorrow at the Knavesmire.

McDonald, the stable jockey for trainer Ann Duffield at Leyburn, feels he has a genuine chance of victory on Sweet Selection, Rainbow Mist, and Clever Cookie.

"Coming into the Ebor Festival, I always like to have at least one ride a day which has a really good chance and it looks like I’m in luck this year," he said.

"On Wednesday, I ride Sweet Selection in the Fine Equinity Stakes for Hughie Morrison.

"I won on her at Musselburgh in June and then she won her next race at Newbury last month. She’s a lovely, progressive filly and she’s coming to York in good form," he said.

McDonald, who is currently 15th in the Stobart Flat Jockeys’ Championship, rides Rainbow Mist for Duffield in the Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes on Thursday.

"I've ridden him in all four of his races and we won over five furlongs at York last month," he recalled. "He’s one of Ann’s nicest two-year-olds so I’m hoping he’ll give me a great spin round."

On Friday, McDonald rides Clever Cookie, which is trained by Peter Niven at Malton, in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.

"I’m so pleased to be riding him at York. The public and racegoers really get behind him as he’s a locally trained horse. I’ve won twice on him at York, I hope he’s in good order, and if we get a bit of rain during the week he should have a great chance."

Looking ahead to the festival, McDonald said: "It’s four days all of us jockeys look forward to riding at. The atmosphere is always brilliant and if you’ve got some nice rides to look forward to, it’s one of the best meetings of the year to be competing at.

"It’s a beautiful track to ride - a big, open, galloping course - and, nine times out of ten, the best horse will win the race.

"It is also a track that invests in its facilities, whether it’s for the horses, the jockeys or the racegoers. They are all 'top nick' and I couldn’t speak highly enough of the work they do there."