Champion hoop James McDonald has no qualms around Via Sistina’s wide alley for the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday as the pair bid to back up their Cox Plate conquest.
In one of the most pulsating Cox Plate climaxes, McDonald lifted the veteran mare to a narrow victory over stablemate Buckaroo to the roars of the Moonee Valley crowd.
But despite the different variables of the bigger and potentially wetter track, plus drawing gate 10 of 11, he is not worried.
“I think the weather doesn’t look good,” McDonald said.
“I’d rather there than one to be fair. She’s a class horse.”
“The only real bad failure she’s ever had was on a wet track here at Flemington.
“I know it will be the fourth day of racing on it, so we should be able to get our toe into it. As long as she can get her toe into it and not be skatey, she’s fine.”
That Flemington failure was behind Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside in the 2024 Makybe Diva Stakes, with those two horses competing for favouritism in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m).
McDonald will ride $7.50 hope Leica Lucy in that race, who must turn around a four-and-a-half-length defeat at the hands of Pride Of Jenni just seven days ago.
“She will like a bit of give in the ground,” McDonald said.
“It’s a very tough race, probably the toughest race of the day, but she’s very honest and she’ll give a good account of herself.”
The remaining event in Saturday’s Group 1 trilogy in Melbourne is the Champions Sprint (1200m), where last week’s dominant Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) winner Tentyris is the $2.80 market leader.
However, McDonald rides class mare Joliestar ($3.20), who performed admirably in the Everest last start and is expected to provide the testing material.
“She’s going well and she’ll present third-up here in pretty good order,” he said.
“She’s one from one up the straight, she’ll be tough to beat.”
That lone Flemington straight run came in March this year as Joliestar abandoned her Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) rivals with a blistering turn of foot, scoring by a length and a half.
2022 Everest victor and potential Ascot Pinnacles carnival candidate Giga Kick ($5) is next in line with Tropicus ($9) rounding out those at single digits.
Meanwhile, outside of Via Sistina, outclassed and inexperienced four-year-old Zambardo has attracted most interest for their race, being hit from $31 down to $16.
The bay had not even won a race until August 25 but has banged home four in a row since, and co-trainer Mick Price says he’s got the seven-start tyro peaking for the day.
“On the numbers, he’s entitled to his odds,” Price said.
“But if he runs top three and raises his rating, it sets him up beautifully for the autumn.
“He’s a nice horse — this is his ‘chips in’ run this prep.”
This assignment is a far cry from the benchmark 78 company the Kiwi-bred galloper beat up on last time but Price says they can always backtrack.
“We can go back to a benchmark 90 any time,” he said.
“This is his sixth run this prep and he’s had a very good prep. I wanted better horses in front of him.
“When he gets to the front, he tends to clock off. So we’ll ride him cold and let him finish late.”
https://thewest.com.au/sport/horse-racing/mcdonald-with-good-book-for-champions-day-at-flemington-highlighted-by-legendary-mare-via-sistina-c-20605562
