JMac chases hat-trick
Champion jockey out to set personal best for G1 wins
Sydney’s superstar jockey James McDonald is set to put an exclamation mark on a career-best season when he attempts a Group 1 hat-trick of wins on Via Sistina, Orchestral and Zougotcha on Day Two of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Exciting mare Via Sistina is the $2.30 favourite to win the richest weight-for-age race of the autumn carnival, the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
Orchestral, New Zealand’s champion filly, dominates betting at $1.80 for the $1m ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) and Zougotcha is the $3.50 favourite for the $1m Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m).
McDonald rode the trio to Group 1 wins last start – Via Sistina (Ranvet Stakes), Orchestral (Vinery Stud Stakes) and Zougotcha (Coolmore Classic) – which has helped the rider net 11 big-race wins so far this season.
This is the third successive season McDonald has ridden 11 Group 1 winners but the champion jockey seems likely to set a new personal-best on Saturday.
The Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina, the English import who scored a stunning win at her Australian debut in the Ranvet Stakes three weeks ago, takes on an outstanding field in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes that includes Mr Brightside, Cascadian, Place Du Carrousel, Pride Of Jenni and the three-year-old Ceolwulf.
But McDonald would not swap the ride on Via Sistina for any other horse in the race after the former English mare created a huge impression at her Australian debut with a stunning last-to-first effort in the Ranvet Stakes last month.
“Via Sistina’s first-up win was pretty special,’’ McDonald said.
“When I look back on it, she was just off the plane and I think it was probably the perfect race set-up for her.
“She had a bit of a blow the
Tuesday before that run and we thought she would improve.
“So, for her to do what she did exceeded my expectations but she didn’t have a hard run – it was like she has run ‘five home two’ in the Ranvet.’’
McDonald said he had noticed the improvement in Via Sistina’s trackwork and physical condition since her Ranvet Stakes win.
“In her first week at Rosehill, she was bit of a deer in the headlights, but she has been working on her ‘game’, she has definitely improved,’’ he said.