Via Sistina continues to bless connections
Champion trainer Chris Waller said Via Sistina (IRE) (Fastnet Rock) “lit up our lives 12 months ago”, and her amazing career continued with her eighth Group 1 win in the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
She was simply too strong inside the final furlong of the 2000-metre feature, powering home to win by 1.53l, with Lindermann (Lonhro) rounding out a quinella for the Waller stable, and star hoop James McDonald aboard.
Fastnet Rock was one of the most celebrated stallions of modern times, twice Champion Sire in Australia, before he was retired from stud duties by Coolmore last year.
And now 7-year-old mare Via Sistina – who won last year’s Ranvet Stakes – is the best horse in the nation for Yulong Investments.
“She’s a lovely, big, unassuming horse. But come race day, she really turns it on. We don’t dare light her up in the mornings because what she’s capable of, like she’s a real powerhouse,” Waller said.
Triumphant champion jockey McDonald said Via Sistina deserved to be known as the queen of Australian racing.
“She turns up each and every time which I’m so proud of her because if she was going to get beat it could have been easily a race like this.”
McDonald also reserved praised for Harwood, ahead of Via Sistina’s next target which is likely to be the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 12.
Clean Energy adds to Zoustar’s big day
There’s a certain amount of expectation that comes with being a full sister to Champion 3YO Filly and triple Gr.1 winner Sunlight (Zoustar), but Clean Energy appears to be living up to that and her $2.6 million yearling price with her second stakes win in Moonee Valley’s Gr.3 Don Casboult Classic for 3-year-old fillies.
“It’s an honour to win a race in honour of an absolute gentleman and one of the people that has got Moonee Valley and the Cox Plate to where it is. It’s great to see Don here. In regard to my horse, Gai and the team have done a great job,” said jockey Craig Williams.
“I worked her here on Tuesday morning and loved the way she went for me. I spoke to Blake Shinn who rode her first-up and he gave me a bit of insight into as well. We did have a plan, but she had a different plan than we did and we found ourselves a lot further back. We just trusted her and she picked up and showed versatility, not that that is the way to ride her, but it show she can be quite versatile.”
Unbeaten in two starts at two including the Listed Bill Carter Stakes, Clean Energy resumed at three with a third placing. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, she won by 0.75l for jockey Craig Williams from Chris Waller-trained Amelita (Zousain), with Robbie Griffiths-trained McKeyla (Shamus Award) in third.
Clean Energy is one of 64 stakes winners for Zoustar, and one of five stakes horses for her dam, dual Group 3 winner Solar Charged (Charge Forward), led by triple Group 1 winner Sunlight, Gr.3 Red Roses Stakes winner Sisstar (Zoustar), Clean Energy, and stakes-placed pair of Sheikha (Sebring) and Dio (Zoustar). Solar Charged’s 2-year-old colt Lyon (Zoustar) is unraced and her 2024 colt is also by Zoustar. Solar Charged is a half-sister to Listed Tasmanian Oaks winner Causeway Queen (Giant’s Causeway {USA}).
Written for TTRAusNZ
