James McDonald will miss the opportunity to ride the Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina in her much-anticipated first-up run in Saturday’s Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Instead, McDonald will partner her Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m)-winning stablemate, Switzerland, in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on the same day.
McDonald was in Melbourne on Friday to ride the Coolmore-owned colt in a jump-out at Flemington.
The star three-year-old impressed connections as he cruised home behind the other runners.
“I thought he was fantastic,” McDonald told Racing.com.
“I’m really happy with his condition. Chris is thrilled with him, so he goes into the race in really good condition. He’s always been highly rated by the stable and everyone that rides him, loves him.
“He had a bit of an interrupted prep early on and then Chris got him back on track and he had a nice lead-up race (winning the Roman Consul Stakes) and then demolished them in the Coolmore.
“I love the horse and we know he goes well up the straight, so he’ll be there when the whips are cracking.”
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