Via Sistina is a true Champion
Cox Plate winner adds fifth Group 1 gong, helps McDonald to Melbourne Cup week record
MELBOURNE James McDonald rewrote the history books as the jockey of the most successful Melbourne Cup Carnival while combining with his new favourite mare Via Sistina to claim the A$3 million (S$2.64 million) Champions Stakes at Flemington on Nov 9.
The superstar Sydney-based New Zealander completed his second Group 1 double of the week when the eight-length Cox Plate heroine powered to a 2-3/4-length win in the 2,000-metre event.
The win followed a Champions Sprint win on Sunshine In Paris ($30 on the Singapore tote) earlier, with McDonald having won both the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Empire Rose Stakes on Victoria Derby Day on Nov 2, to take him to 10 winners for the week.
That tally equalled the mark he set in 2021, the year he won the Melbourne Cup aboard Verry Elleegant.
McDonald broke the record in the following event, the last race of the carnival, which he won aboard the James Cummings-trained Pisanello ($10), giving him four winners for the day.
The 32-year-old expressed his gratitude to owners and trainers for the opportunities he gets on the biggest stage in Australian racing.
“I ride for some brilliant trainers, I get on the best horses and I’m lucky to be able to drive them, basically,” he said.
“I steer them around a white rail and hope for the best and they do the rest.”
While Via Sistina’s fifth Group 1 win (from seven Australian starts) in the Champions Stakes was not as decisive as her Cox Plate success, McDonald knew a long way from home he would be taking his career Group 1 tally to 104 aboard the Chris Waller-trained mare.
After jumping away with the field, McDonald allowed Via Sistina to settle just worse than midfield one off the fence before creeping into the fray from the 600m.
The imported seven-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock was still under a hold when she hit the front just before the 300m, after which the $7 favourite surged away for a comfortable win over stablemate and defending champion Atishu (Jye McNeil).
Without A Fight (Mark Zahra) turned in an encouraging return at his first start since his 2023 Melbourne Cup triumph, running on well to finish two lengths off Atishu in third spot.
“She was never in doubt, the nice building pace suited her, she just keeps going to a new level,” said McDonald.
“She was very good and today was an absolute joy and pleasure and I had so much fun on her. Her performance speaks for itself.”
At his second consecutive win in the Champions Stakes, Waller continues to be amazed at what Via Sistina is capable of.
“To get the opportunity to train a horse with European form lines like she had was pretty special,” said Sydney’s multiple-champion trainer of the 2023 Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes (2,011m) winner at The Curragh in Ireland.
“She did it first-up in a Ranvet and announced herself, and she’s just done it consistently since.
“Over 1,400m (in the Winx Stakes) and then coming out and winning a Turnbull and Cox Plates and then the Mackinnon (Champions) Stakes.
“She’s a pretty special horse, so I’m appreciative for getting her to train.”
The A$1.8m winner’s cheque took Via Sistina’s career earnings beyond A$8.5m, with the Yulong-owned charge now a raging favourite for this season’s Australian Champion Horse Of The Year award.
Sky Racing
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now