Champion jockey James McDonald will seek a fifth-straight Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Flemington on Saturday and believes he has the horse to beat with Aeliana.
Ranked the world’s best hoop, McDonald has won the Cox Plate aboard Anamoe, Romantic Warrior and Via Sistina (twice) in the last four years.
When asked if he was riding the best horse in the race, McDonald’s answer was simple.
“Yeah, I do,” he said.
“She’s had the perfect preparation. She’s up to the level, and it’s her time to shine.
“She’s a mature mare now and she’s tough as anything.”
The coveted weight-for-age event will be run at Flemington for the first time having traditionally been held at Moonee Valley.
But the top rider says this is a help to the $4.80 second favourite.
“I think Flemington will suit my mare perfectly,” McDonald said.
“She’s just a bit of a galloper. She likes a bit of room. She likes to warm into her races, and she’s got a good record at Flemington as well.
“It’s her home track, so she’s trained there. I think it will suit her well.”
The mare was sixth last year when ridden by Hugh Bowman and trainer Chris Waller - who won the race four times with Winx and then Via Sistina’s pair of victories – says she is better now.
“She ran well in the race last year. She’s a little bit stronger this year,” Waller said.
“Her form in the autumn was brilliant. So we only have to get her up to that and she’s going to be in the fight.
“The prospect of a strong stamina test, that should suit.”
That endurance attribute is likely to be tested by Ethan Brown’s mount Land Legend ($51) and the Harry Coffey-partnered Light Infantry Man ($23), two go-forward horses.
“I’ll be asking him to leave the gates and then just riding him where he lands, and hopefully that speed’s on. He can just thrive under those conditions,” Coffey said.
“And if the speed’s not on, if Land Legend makes a mistake out of the gates, we know he can take it up and make it a tough contest himself.”
Coffey says despite the lofty price tag, he’s expecting a bold bid.
“A lot of people have said, ‘It’s a pity it’s not at Moonee Valley with his racing style’. But I believe he’s better suited at Flemington, because you can just ride the horse,” he said.
“I thought his run in the Turnbull was superb. There’s a lot of talk about Grand Finals and horses peaking. Well, I wouldn’t have thought his Turnbull run was his Grand Final.
“He’s peaking for this run.”
The Trent Busttin and Natalie Young-trained Blind Raise, one of two three-year-olds in the race alongside Warwoven ($5.50), will carry just 49.5kg.
Warwoven got the better of Blind Raise in the Caulfield Guineas over a mile last start, though Jamie Melham – who takes over on the latter – says the runner-up should have won.
“With our gate of barrier nine, we will probably be a couple of pairs back hopefully, and someone else can do the work instead of Guineas Day,” Young said of Blind Raise.
“We know he’s got a good turn of foot, but I think once he balances up, he’ll show a really good kick.”