<\/p>\n
James McDonald is set for his first Flemington appearance of this season on Makybe Diva Stakes day, with the champion jockey to head south for a book of rides headlined by reigning Australian Racehorse of the Year Via Sistina in Saturday\u2019s feature.<\/p>\n
McDonald has notched 17 of his 120 career G1 wins at Flemington, including four during last year\u2019s memorable Melbourne Cup Carnival in which he rode a record 11 winners across the four-day carnival.<\/p>\n
Champion trainer Chris Waller announced on Tuesday morning that Via Sistina would head to Melbourne for Saturday\u2019s G1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) rather than waiting another week for the 7 Stakes in Sydney, after fellow Yulong-owned mare Treasurethe Moment was ruled out of the Makybe Diva on Monday.<\/p>\n
Sydney-based McDonald, who last rode at Flemington on Black Caviar Lightning Stakes day in February, had been in line to ride the Waller-trained Aeliana in the Makybe Diva but instead now sticks with champion mare Via Sistina who has dominated Australian racing over the past 12 months including winning the Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate and Champions Stakes in consecutive starts in Melbourne last spring.<\/p>\n
McDonald believes it\u2019s a \u201cgood move\u201d sending Via Sistina to the Makybe Diva and is naturally looking forward to riding the mare after the pair combined for a brilliant first-up win in heavy conditions in the G1 Winx Stakes in Sydney over 1400m on August 23.<\/p>\n
It was Via Sistina\u2019s ninth Australian G1 win, with McDonald aboard for seven of those.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was exceptional first-up and she has come up really well (this spring),\u201d McDonald said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe should be hard to beat. I\u2019d be disappointed if she doesn\u2019t try and be fighting out the finish, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Via Sistina was an odds-on favourite in early all-in markets on Tuesday for Saturday\u2019s Makybe Diva (1600m), a race the mare was beaten in second-up last year when she finished fifth on a rain-affected track after winning the Winx Stakes first-up.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had excuses,\u201d McDonald recalled of Via Sistina\u2019s only unplaced finish in 12 Australian starts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was raining on the day. It was quite slippery, the track, and she just didn\u2019t stretch out at all, so hopefully we don\u2019t get rain (on the day).\u201d<\/p>\n
Early markets suggest stablemate Aeliana is the biggest danger to Via Sistina in the Makybe Diva after the up-and-coming four-year-old gave Via Sistina a fright first-up in the Winx Stakes when issuing a strong challenge in the straight before Via Sistina responded to score by a neck.<\/p>\n
McDonald noted Via Sistina is \u201ca winner\u201d but he also has healthy respect for the mare\u2019s opposition, including Aeliana.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe (Aeliana) is exceptional, but she\u2019s not the only one in the race,\u201d McDonald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s Antino, there\u2019s (Mr) Brightside, there\u2019s Tom Kitten. They\u2019ll all be hard to beat, they\u2019re good horses in their own right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among McDonald\u2019s other rides on Saturday\u2019s Flemington program is set to be the Waller-trained Lazzura in the G2 Let\u2019s Elope Stakes (1400m) after McDonald rode the talented four-year-old mare to a first-up win in the Show County Quality in Sydney on the same day as Via Sistina\u2019s Winx Stakes success.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s going really well, that mare,\u201d McDonald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe gave me a terrific feel first-up, so 1400m second-up should be ideal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n
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