Melbourne Cup hope Loft gets James McDonald seal of approval after Flemington gallop

James McDonald has had his first sit on Melbourne Cup second favourite Loft and given the international raider a firm seal of approval.

James McDonald gives internationally-trained Melbourne Cup hopeful Loft a spin around Flemington on Tuesday morning. Picture: Scott Barbour-Racing Photos via Getty Images

Champion jockey James McDonald has given his Melbourne Cup mount Loft a huge tick of approval, saying the German international passed his first searching gallop at Flemington with “flying colours.”

It was the first time McDonald had sat aboard the $7 Cup second favourite and the piece of work left him daring to dream of back-to-back wins in the race that stops a nation.

No jockey has won consecutive Melbourne Cups since Glen Boss won a hat-trick with Makybe Diva from 2003 to 2005.

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But McDonald is in a rich vein of form, having dominated the Flemington Carnival last year including the Melbourne Cup win on Verry Elleegant, and he’s fresh off his first Cox Plate win on Anamoe last Saturday.

He liked what he saw with Loft on Tuesday morning, with the five-year-old finishing off his last 400m in 23.46sec.

Loft gallops at Flemington under James McDonald. Picture: Michael Klein

“I was extremely pleased with him,” McDonald said.

“He is a beautiful character of a horse and he goes about his business in a lovely fashion.

“He was there to have a searching gallop and he did that with flying colours.

“He was super. I was really taken by him. He is a ripping little horse.”

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Glen Boss and two of Loft’s part-owners John O’Neill and Ozzie Kheir convinced McDonald to lock in the ride early on Loft, who won a Group 2 race at Belmont in June before a last-start second at Chester in August.

“They gave me a huge push for him,” he said.

“Obviously the figures out of Germany and America have been great. He is an athletic, clean-winded horse and he has a lovely chance in this race.”

“It was nice to have a sit on him before the big day. He was very relaxed and uncomplicated. I’ve watched his replays and I will watch them again. I’ll see if we can come up with a plan.

“It would be a dream come true (to win a second Melbourne Cup).

“We’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves. Hopefully we get a lovely gate to suit and if he is in the right spot, he will definitely run well.”

McDonald created Melbourne Cup carnival history last year, becoming the first jockey in 160 years to ride 10 winners across the week – with the collective prizemoney earned by the horses he rode totalling an extraordinary $9m.

All smiles from the Loft team at Flemington gallops Tuesday. Picture: Michael Klein

With James Cummings saying it was more likely than unlikely that Anamoe will run on Champions Stakes Day, and with Nature Strip set to run in the sprint on the same day, McDonald is eagerly looking forward to what the Flemington Carnival might bring this year.

“I’m really excited to be a part of it again, (I’m riding) all four days,“ he said.

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McDonald also partnered Godolphin’s Coolmore Stud Stakes fancy In Secret and Kiwi Derby hope and last start Spring Champion winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart at Flemington on Tuesday.

He described In Secret as “a very uncomplicated horse … she had the earmuffs on and she feels like a real straight horse to me. I am excited to see what she can do up the straight.”

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And he is happy to reunite with Graeme Rogerson when he pilots Sharp ‘N’ Smart, who has been backed into $3 favourite following his Spring Champion Stakes win at Randwick last Saturday.

Originally published as Melbourne Cup hope Loft gets James McDonald seal of approval after Flemington gallop