Like a high-powered sports car, Via Sistina (IRE) (Fastnet Rock) simply had a gear her rivals did not when storming clear for an emphatic victory to back up her dominant Cox Plate win in the Gr.1 Champions S. (2000 metres) at Flemington on Saturday.
The seven-year-old mare stalked the pace before being produced to the outside by James McDonald entering the straight, trucking up to the leaders under a hold before exploding clear to win in a canter by 2.75l, with stablemate Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) running on into second and 2023 Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight (IRE) (Teofilo {IRE}) making a solid return in third.
Many questioned whether Via Sistina could reproduce her incredible performance in the Cox Plate which saw her break Winx’s (Street Cry {IRE}) track and race record, resulting in a rating which sees her sit atop the world rankings.
However, the world’s highest rated racehorse did not disappoint jockey, trainer or horse racing fans.
“That was awesome,” said McDonald. “Everything just went beautifully to plan. I had the horse to really give me a smooth ride, 600 (metres) to the 400 (metres) I was just like changing gears… Vroom… I just let her go and she can do the rest.
“She is lightly raced, and she is just coming into her own. She thrives on work, it’s great for the whole team there. Chris (Waller) and his team have done an incredible job.”
Waller was delighted and relieved that everything had gone to plan, indicating that a lot of thought had gone into what the next move would be with Via Sistina after her Cox Plate romp and most importantly what would be best for the horse.
“It was very special winning the Cox Plate the way she did,” Waller said.
“I think it caught everyone by surprise and then the pressure to back her up and go one more run, we’ve spoken about sport analogies – having another game after a grand final – we were thinking about it constantly. She is a very, very special horse obviously but don’t underestimate how hard these horses work. So, we could see that, we just backed off her the last two weeks and gave her an easy time.
Via Sistina cruises past the post in the Gr.1 Champions S. at Flemington
Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We just have a great team around Australia, who do great things with horses that they love. She captured the imagination with her Tuesday morning workout and backed it up with an impressive record winning run in the Cox Plate. There was a temptation to run in the Melbourne Cup but the Melbourne Cup was a good enough story without us.
“It definitely helps having a good jockey.”
McDonald finished the Melbourne Cup carnival with 11 winners, the most of his career after riding four winners on the last day.
“I ride for some brilliant trainers,” McDonald said.
“I get on the best horses and I’m lucky that I get to drive them basically. I steer them round a white rail and hope for the best, they do the rest.”
Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud Farm, Via Sistina was purchased for 5000gns (AU$10,300) by Stephen Hillen Bloodstock at the 2019 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Jamie Railton as agent. After winning the Gr.1 Pretty Polly S., she was offered at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, where Evergreen Equine purchased her for 2,700,000gns (AU$5.5 million).
The Lucky Vega Syndicate acquired her unraced dam Nigh (IRE) (Galileo {IRE}) at the same sale for 200,000gns (AU$412,000). Nigh is a half-sister to GB Champion 3YO Sprinter Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil {USA}) and Listed-placed Vanishing Grey (IRE) (Verglas {IRE}), dam of Listed Prix Millkom winner First Contact (IRE) (Dark Angel {IRE}), who also ran third in the Gr.1 Jebel Hatta S.. Via Sistina’s sire Fastnet Rock was pensioned from stud duties at Coolmore Stud earlier this year, having finished the 2023/24 season as Australia’s leading broodmare sire.
Written by Tom Baddock and Kit Gow for TTRAusNZ
