The beautifully-bred Fastnet Rock mare, Via Sistina (IRE) began her racing career in the UK where she won at the highest level, including the Gr.1 Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh. Never finishing out of the top three in European Group races, the ultra-consistent daughter of Galileo (IRE) mare Nigh (IRE) was purchased at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2023. Under new trainer Chris Waller, she made the perfect start in Australia when taking out the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill before a brave second to Pride Of Jenni in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Via Sistina’s seasonal debut saw a jaw-dropping win in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes over 1400m, a distance she had not run over since her own debut at Thirsk as a three-year-old. Continuing on with her exceptional Spring Campaign, she stepped out at 2000m in the Gr.1 Turnball Stakes under Damian Lane first to the line ahead of Buckaroo and Eliyass and produced an exhilarating performance in the Gr.1 W.S Cox Plate setting a new track record by 1.2 seconds (previously held by Winx), winning by 8l to Prognosis and Broadsiding.
Via Sistina rounded out 2024 in tremendous fashion, surging clear in Gr.1 Champions Stakes at Flemington to recording her fifth Gr.1 victory in the Yulong silks.
