James Mcdonald can see similarities between Yulong’s latest high-priced import, Barnavara, and champion mare Via Sistina, despite the former having it all to do as she prepares for her Sydney debut.
The champion rider – who collected another three Group 1 wins at Rosehill on Saturday to take his career tally to 131, eclipsing the previous Australian record held by Damien Oliver (129) – was putting in the hard yards behind the scenes at the Canterbury Quarantine Facility on Tuesday where he partnered Barnavara in a workout.
While McDonald didn’t sit aboard Via Sistina until her local debut in the 2024 Ranvet Stakes where she scored a sweeping win, he said there were parallels between that mare’s race record when she arrived in Australia, 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 to southern hemisphere time, Barnavara was purchased by Yulong Investments at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale for the equivalent of $A10.1 million – the highest price paid for a filly in training last year.
A Group 1 winner in France over 2000m at her most recent appearance, she was set to arrive at Chris Waller’s Rosehill stable later on Tuesday, ahead of her first local run in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) this weekend.
McDonald also rode her in a gallop at Canterbury last Friday, and noted she had improved significantly.
“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 also admitted it was exciting to have a fresh horse on the scene for the carnival, and said was privileged to be entrusted with a mare of Barnavara’s quality. “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.”
It has been a momentous few days for McDonald, who also attended the premier of a documentary on his life and career in Sydney on Monday night.
He conceded he was much more comfortable on the back of a horse than the red carpet, and while he’d had little opportunity to reflect on his Golden Slipper Day heroics, he was rapt to be part of an historic afternoon.
“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 who delivered his 131st Group 1, Autumn Glow, was on Tuesday confirmed to be heading towards the Queen Elizabeth Stakes for her final Sydney autumn carnival run.
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