Octasong (AUS)

Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate favourite Sir Delius has been ruled out of both races after failing the pre-race scanning process.

Having ridden in six previous editions of The Everest (1200m) as well as multiple clashes with Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong, jockey James McDonald has a good idea of what to expect when the world’s highest-rated sprinter makes his Australian debut in the A$20 million feature at Randwick on Saturday.