Top rider James McDonald notes common traits between Barnavara, the high-stakes Yulong import, and champion Via Sistina, as she readies for a stern test in her Sydney premiere.

Having bagged three Group 1s at Rosehill Saturday to hit 131 career Australian wins and eclipse Damien Oliver’s 129, McDonald was at Canterbury Quarantine Tuesday, schooling Barnavara in a breeze-up.

His debut ride on Via Sistina came in her local opener, the 2024 Ranvet Stakes victory, but he detects alignments in her overseas history and Barnavara’s profile.

“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.”

Barnavara, rated a four-year-old mare down under, commanded $A10.1 million from Yulong Investments at Tattersalls December Mares Sale, the pinnacle for training fillies last year.

She arrives post a 2000m Group 1 conquest in France, landing at Chris Waller’s Rosehill Tuesday for the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) this Saturday.

Friday’s Canterbury gallop with McDonald showed her leaping ahead in fitness.

“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 relishes a fresh talent like Barnavara boosting the carnival, grateful for the riding gig on her calibre.

“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.”

Lately, McDonald marked milestones, including Monday’s Sydney screening of his biographical documentary.

At ease in the irons over spotlight scenes, he’s had little downtime to savour his Golden Slipper achievements but treasures the epic day.

“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.”

Autumn Glow, provider of his landmark 131st Group 1, got the green light Tuesday for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as her autumn Sydney swansong.

Head to the sports betting options for keen racing odds in the Neville Sellwood Stakes.