World champion Kiwi jockey James McDonald realises his problem is an amazing one to
have.
Nevertheless, he wishes he could be in two places at once today.
Those two places would be Randwick in Sydney and Flemington in Melbourne, where McDonald will actually be, primarily to partner wonder mare Via Sistina in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at 7.25pm NZ time.
Not that McDonald isn’t looking forward to another outing on the reigning Horse of the Year, who recorded one of modern-day racing’s greatest performances in last year’s Cox Plate.
However, that means McDonald will miss the ride on unbeaten mare Autumn Glow, who is a warm favourite for the A$1.5 million ($1.7m) TAB Epsom at Randwick just 15 minutes before Via Sistina races.
Both horses are trained by Chris Waller and it was ultimately that fellow expat Kiwi who made the decision for McDonald.
“We had a talk about it and I was leaning to staying in Sydney for Autumn Glow because she has that real X-factor,” McDonald told the Herald.
“But Chris said he wanted me in Melbourne to ride Via. This is not her Grand Final but we have one of the biggest races of the spring in two weeks [Cox Plate defence] and he doesn’t want any hiccups on the road.
“I totally understand that and I love riding her so I am happy to be going down [from Sydney], but I’d love to be riding them both.”
McDonald wasn’t stunned that Via Sistina was beaten second-up by Mr Brightside in a sit-and-sprint Makybe Diva at Flemington last start, but he expects improvement today.
“She can be a bit that way second-up and the lack of tempo really didn’t help her,” he explains.
“But she will be better this week and then peaking for the Cox Plate.
“If they go a good gallop then she should bounce back.”
Via Sistina has barrier 1 in a stacked field and today’s Turnbull could have huge ramifications for the markets for the biggest spring races, because it also contains Caulfield Cup favourite Half Yours and Melbourne Cup favourite Sir Delius.
Add in yet another Waller stablemate in Aeliana, who beat Via Sistina home last start, and the Turnbull will be one of those races you will need to watch a few times.
Also at Flemington is the Lexus Bart Cummings, in which Auckland Cup winner Trav tries to seal his spot in the Melbourne Cup.
He clashes with fellow New Zealand stayer Mark Twain and former NZ Derby winner Asterix as they all clamour to get into the cup, or at least take meaningful steps toward the iconic race.
However, they face a very warm favourite wearing very famous colours in Gilded Water, owned by King Charles.
No, that isn’t a nickname, the actual King Charles.
There are also two high-profile New Zealand gallopers standing in Autumn Glow’s way at Randwick, with Pier and Willydoit, the latter now trained in Australia, taking on the unbeaten mare in the Epsom.
Both are well-favoured as place hopes in the market but even with Autumn Glow drawing the outside of the 14 starters, she is a $2.15 favourite.
“She is an amazing young mare and we really don’t know how good yet,” says McDonald.
“She just seems to eat up a good speed and then go again.
“I know she is only young and has it all in front of her but she has that beautiful stride and is a readymade weight-for-age horse.
“She reminds me a bit of Romantic Warrior in her shape.”
Kerrin McEvoy rides Autumn Glow today and McDonald says he will only have one more Saturday this year riding in Sydney, which is now his home city.
“I will ride here on Everest Day and then the rest of the spring will be in Melbourne and on November 12 I head up to Hong Kong with my family to ride for seven weeks.”
** Closer to home, domestic punters should check track conditions this morning before making any investments, because Matamata was back to a Heavy 10 on Friday afternoon, while Hāwera was a Heavy 8 with more rain forecast.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.