James McDonald spots parallels between Yulong’s newest expensive acquisition, Barnavara, and the star mare Via Sistina, even though the import faces a tough task ahead of her initial Sydney appearance.
The top jockey, who notched up three more Group 1 victories at Rosehill on Saturday to push his career total to 131 and surpass Damien Oliver’s prior Australian mark of 129, was putting in serious trackwork at the Canterbury Quarantine Facility on Tuesday, where he hopped on Barnavara for a session.
Although McDonald didn’t ride Via Sistina until her Australian debut in the 2024 Ranvet Stakes, where she dominated, he noted similarities in the mare’s European record upon arrival and Barnavara’s.
“I didn’t work Via before that first run. My first ride on her was the Ranvet, so I can’t really draw comparisons, but one thing I would say by looking at their form lines, they’re so consistent,” McDonald said.
“Via was probably running in better races, but this one is more lightly raced and unexposed, and her form reads so beautifully. She never puts a bad run in, and that’s what Via came out with as well.”
A four-year-old mare by southern hemisphere time, Barnavara was snapped up by Yulong Investments at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale for around $A10.1 million, the top price for a filly in training last year.
Having won a Group 1 in France at 2000m in her latest outing, she was due to join Chris Waller’s Rosehill yard later Tuesday, preparing for her Australian bow in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) this weekend.
McDonald had also galloped her at Canterbury the previous Friday and observed marked progress.
“Beautiful mare. Great appetite for work, she loves her work, and she was a little bit stuffy then. The last (four) days, she has come on immensely,” he said.
“She feels really, really good, and I’d expect a huge performance from her this Saturday in the Neville Sellwood, that’s for sure.”
McDonald expressed thrill at having another new contender for the carnival and felt honoured to ride a talent like Barnavara.
“It’s like unwrapping another Christmas present every weekend,” he said.
“We’re lucky they keep coming and we’re in a position to be able to ride them.
“When I came out here on Friday, the day before the Slipper, I was pretty excited to jump on her to see what she felt like, and she didn’t let me down.”
The past few days have been huge for McDonald, including attending the Sydney premiere of a documentary about his career on Monday evening.
He admitted preferring the saddle to the red carpet and, despite limited time to ponder his Golden Slipper Day feats, was delighted by the landmark day.
“It keeps rolling on and on, so there’s not much time to reflect,” McDonald said.
“In saying that, there were five exceptional performances in all the big races, and to have a bit of luck in three of them, it was special.”
The mare Autumn Glow, who secured his 131st Group 1 success, was confirmed on Tuesday for a tilt at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as her last Sydney autumn carnival start.
Check out the Australian betting sites for the best racing betting markets on the Neville Sellwood Stakes this weekend.