Champion jockey James Mcdonald will break new ground when he rides Crystal Pegasus in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup.
It will be McDonald’s first trip to Bendigo after trainer Chris Waller asked the jockey to ride the stayer in the $500,000 race over 2400m on Wednesday.
NSW-based McDonald has been the toast of Melbourne during the Spring Carnival to date.
His Melbourne Group 1 haul already consists of the Caulfield Guineas, the Might And Power Stakes, the Thousand Guineas and last Saturday’s Cox Plate on Anamoe.
There have also been wins in the Group 2 Schillaci Sprint and the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup along with a trip to Geelong last week for a win in the Dual Choice Plate.
Crystal Pegasus is on track to run in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1 and is currently number 22 in the Order of Entry following the latest round of declarations taken on Monday.
However, Crystal Palace has struggled to find form this campaign.
Crystal Pegasus won the Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington in March and the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) later that month which afforded the stayer a start in the Caulfield Cup.
But this campaign Crystal Pegasus has struggled in four runs, finishing nearer last than first in each, the most recent beaten just over six lengths when 14th behind stablemate Durston in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 15.
“I haven’t been that far up the highway before,” McDonald said of his trip to Bendigo.
“He needs good ground to perform at his best so it will be interesting to see whether he gets that.
“But there’s only eight horses in the field, so that might make it easier.”
Following the booking of McDonald, Crystal Pegasus firmed from $13 to $6 before easing slightly in latest markets to $7 with TAB.
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace trained High Emocean is the $3.10 top fancy.
