While he could not ride a winner as New Zealand's representative in Saturday's Asian Young Gun Challenge apprentice riders' series, the group three win more than compensated.
"I'd love to have won the apprentices' series but that was just as good," he said.
"He gave me a beautiful ride, dropped the bit then put them away quickly.
"It was my first time down the straight, it's a bit tricky."
McDonald, who has ridden five group one winners, will be a major player over the spring carnival as he has a firm booking for Caulfield-Melbourne Cups co-favourite Scarlett Lady.
Golan, 32, also hopes to make his mark with Temple Of Boom and his younger brother Spirit Of Boom.
Temple Of Boom won on Oaks Day last year and will stay here at David Hayes's Flemington stables.
"There is a race for him back here in a month. We'll keep him to this lower grade and perhaps later have a go at the Salinger," he said.
Temple Of Boom has won eight of his 22 starts and Golan said the sprinter had no luck when a rare failure first-up 10th in the Ramornie Handicap.
Runner-up Rekindled Interest delighted trainer Jim Conlan who has group one aspirations for the comeback galloper.
Meanwhile, Queen's Cup winner Moudre will kick off his Melbourne Cup campaign in Saturday's P B Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield.
Trainer Ciaron Maher said the gelding was ready to resume having had two jumpouts, one at home at Warrnambool followed by another on the Geelong Synthetic track last Wednesday with race jockey Craig Williams in the saddle.
"He went well, Craig rode him but he didn't have the blinkers on and I didn't want him to have a hard trial," Maher said.
Williams has ridden Moudre at his past 10 starts for three wins including the Queen's Cup at Flemington last spring.
This time last year, Williams was aboard Moudre when he won a 1410m open handicap at Flemington on Aurie's Star day before winning the Heatherlie Handicap at Caulfield.
He then ran third to Rainbow Styling in the Naturalism Stakes and fourth to Linton in the Herbert Power Stakes, both at Caulfield.
Maher said the six-year-old had thrived during his break and had developed into a more mature horse.
"He's had a good spell and is looking really good," he said.
Moudre failed to come up in the autumn and was spelled after three unplaced runs, the latest when ninth to Shocking in the Australian Cup at Flemington.
Maher is confident the best of Moudre, already the winner of seven races from 20 starts and more than $500,000 prize money, will be seen this spring.
He failed in his last-ditch attempt to qualify for a start in the 2010 Melbourne Cup when fourth to Maluckyday in the Lexus Stakes.
Maher said it would be great to get him to the Melbourne Cup this year.
"He's a good horse and he has form around Americain," he said. Moudre was narrowly beaten when runner-up to Melbourne Cup winner Americain in the Geelong Cup.
- AAP
