J-Mac explains what happened in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

A lot of talk has been made about the extremely slow tempo of the Makybe Diva Stakes, which saw the short priced favourite Via Sistina finish third in a field of six.

Mr Brightside took out the Group 1 for a third year straight, but some pundits are discrediting his victory due to the farcical running of the race.

James McDonald, who rode Via Sistina, copped criticism for his ride on the superstar and he joined SENTrack and RSN’s Giddy Up to discuss what eventuated in the Group 1 over the mile.

“I must have just woken up now, I had a little snooze,” J-Mac joked.

“Nah, it didn’t play out that well for us in terms of the result, but it was a pedestrian-run race.

“Mr B got it all his own way and credit to him, he’s such a good horse! It’s incredible what he’s achieved.”

Despite experiencing heavy criticism, McDonald accepted that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

“It is what it is,” McDonald said.

“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion and I respect that whether I agree with it or don’t – who cares!

“There’s always another race, there’s always another weekend of Saturday racing.

“As long as the horse as pulled up well and we’re safe and sound, we’re good as gold."

The 120-time Group 1 winner even revealed that his wife Katelyn McDonald was the first person to critique him.

“She was the first one to go, ‘What were you thinking mate?’” he revealed.

“She’s a fair but harsh critic.

“I need it from time to time because it’s not all roses – it’s racing, anything can happen."

J-Mac admitted that he was faced with uncertainty prior to the running of the Makybe Diva, as he didn’t know where Via Sistina was going to end up in the run.

“I didn’t really know (where she was going to end up), to be fair,” McDonald said.

“Obviously with her, she gets back in her races, she always has a bit of cover.

“I was pretty open-minded (with where Via Sistina could end up).

“She jumped okay, Mr B was very good away from the stalls, and then we were away in second.

“She didn’t really muster speed, she was a little bit awkward after her last 100m and she just wasn’t packing up like I thought. So, I elected to come back.

“Obviously, in hindsight you would’ve loved to sit outside leader now.”

Blake Shinn, who was riding Antino, didn’t make the move McDonald expected he would.

He admitted that he and every other rider was waiting for Shinn’s mid-race explosion on Antino, which ended up proving detrimental to McDonald’s ride.

“Probably everyone was waiting for Blake,” the star jockey said.

“Out of the six runners, five of us probably would’ve done something different.

“Even 'Motty' (Jamie Mott) on the stayer (Mark Twain) didn’t really put much pace in it.

“Everyone was affected apart from Mr Brightside, which best ride won the race.”

Despite finishing third, McDonald was very impressed with how Via Sistina performed given her circumstances.

“She went pretty well under the circumstances, like she’s not a set and sprint type of mare,” the gun hoop said of the superstar mare.

“She gets better as the preparations go on and she’s got some lofty targets in mind two starts away.

“Her Grand Final is obviously the Cox Plate (2040m) and that’s where hopefully she’ll be setting that track alight again.

“I’m looking forward to Via’s next couple of starts and I’m sure she’ll be very hard to beat.”