Viva Via Sistina in Cox Plate
Chris Waller’s Irish mare destroys rivals with record-breaking win in Aussie WFA classic
Racing scribes were spoilt for choice in picking an angle for Via Sistina’s explosive win in the A$5 million (S$4.38 million) Group 1 Cox Plate (2,040m) at Moonee Valley, Melbourne on Oct 26.
On any given day, superstar jockey James McDonald finally hitting his 100th win in one of Australia’s “Big Four” (with the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Golden Slipper) was an obvious tale to tell.
Sydney’s multiple-champion trainer Chris Waller adding a fifth Cox Plate silverware to his wonder mare Winx’s four between 2015 and 2018 was another narrative.
Human heroes aside, the Irish mare’s fourth Group 1 in only six Australian starts underscores China outfit Yulong’s (whose last horse at Kranji was Last Supper) laser-sharp eye in investing A$5.6 million in the 2023 Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes (2,011m) winner.
But the real talking point was the mare herself. The Fastnet Rock seven-year-old was simply breathtaking when she pulverised Winx’s 2017 record of 2min 02.94sec of the amphitheatre-like racecourse by almost two seconds, to 2min 1.07sec – which means she would have trounced Winx by 10 lengths.
As if the goosebump-inducing fast facts could not get any better, the eight-length romp equalled Winx’s 2016 record margin, but could have easily set a new mark had McDonald not eased down from the 50m mark of the short Moonee Valley home straight.
Tags like a “Cox Plate for the ages” or “greatest Cox Plate ever” around the 104th running of Australia’s weight-for-age classic have already come out, but such is the fickle nature of horse racing.
Barely four days ago, the Via Sistina camp was literally down in the dumps after the mare unshipped McDonald in a working gallop at Moonee Valley when her hind legs got entangled in loose bandages.
She carried on for another couple of laps, not necessarily a good omen if they prove over-taxing ahead of such a high-pressure race like the Cox Plate.
But it was written somewhere she would come out without a scratch, and dispel all the doubts four days later with a knock-out performance at the very same spot (around the 300m mark) she was nearly knocked out of the race.
Looking back, the incident struck a chord for its sensational news value, but to the mare’s inner sanctum, it was a pivotal moment that Waller had to handle with poise and common sense.
“There are probably 10 key factors – except common sense, it’s as simple as that,” said Waller.
“It’s just been overwhelming, there’s been no negativity, only positive vibes. I’m so proud of her.”
Usually displaying youthful exuberance in his big-win celebrations, McDonald was a wreck.
After winning the last two Cox Plates with Anamoe and Romantic Warrior, Sydney’s eight-time champion jockey was emulating fellow Kiwi Brent “The Babe” Thomson (Family Of Man, So Called, Dulcify from 1977 to 1979) in landing three consecutive Cox Plates with three different horses.
But it was probably the rollercoaster ride from hopelessly watching his Cox Plate dreams unravel with bandages flailing around to turning it on its head, that got to him more.
The word “blessed” came up several times, and oddly enough, a few French words, too.
“It’s so fitting he’s brought up my 100th and to do it in such a prestigious race like the Cox Plate, I’m blessed, so blessed,” he said.
“All those who’ve worked on her said, excuse my French, ‘she’ll s--- in’. I honestly can’t believe it.”
Favourite Prognosis (Damian Lane) was hailed the winner when he gobbled up the fading Pride Of Jenni (Declan Bates) upon cornering, but the Japanese horse could not stop a hurtling freight train.
Not originally in the Melbourne Cup calculations, Via Sistina has suddenly firmed as the favourite for the iconic 3,200m race on the first Tuesday of November (Nov 5).
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