Trainer David Vandyke can play a crucial role in James McDonald's Sydney jockeys' premiership bid while building a platform for his own 2014-2015 goals at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Vandyke will have Emerald City and Ike's Legacy as his midweek runners as the last-start winners try to make a successful transition to city racing.

Emerald City is one of six Canterbury rides for McDonald, the young jockey who has been making hard work of reeling in Nash Rawiller's premiership lead.

"He's a lovely horse but he has to overcome a wide barrier," Vandyke said. "I'll leave that up to J McDonald. He's good at that sort of thing."

Emerald City takes on a capacity field of staying three-year-olds after winning by almost seven lengths at Kembla Grange.

McDonald needs two winners out of the remaining 15 Sydney races to claim the premiership from Rawiller who is riding in Japan.

Ike's Legacy, a Tye Angland mount, returns to city racing after looking sharp in an all-the-way Newcastle win, his first start since having an operation to fix a soft palate issue.

"Hopefully he can go on now and be the horse we expected him to be," Vandyke said.

Vandyke has trained 14 city winners for the season, two less than his 2012-2013 tally, but in a year of expansion for the trainer, he is satisfied with his results.

"It's been a bit of a transition keeping the Warwick Farm stable going and opening another one at Randwick," he said.

"But it sets us up well for next season. Finishing in the top 10 in the premiership and winning a Group One will be the goals for the stable."

McDonald will be the jockey under the most scrutiny at Canterbury despite the return of star rider Tommy Berry.

Aside from Emerald City, McDonald's best chances of securing the jockeys' title will rest with Copper for John O'Shea and Cleansing Ale and Idance from the Hawkes Racing training partnership.

Berry will ease his way back into Sydney racing with four rides.