Champion jockey James McDonald jests he would have taken a second fall from Via Sistina if it meant another record-breaking victory in the $6 million Cox Plate and a sought-after slice of history.
A far smoother preparation for Saturday's 2040m Group 1 feature means the star hoop won't have to survive such a dangerous prelude this time if he is to triumph in Australasia's weight-for-age championship for the fourth consecutive year.
