The Queen still reigns as Via Sistina repeat sees Moonee Valley off in style

Australia’s champion horse, champion jockey and champion trainer combined to mark the end of an era at Moonee Valley, with Via Sistina triumphing in a second Cox Plate in very different fashion to her first.

As opposed to the eight-length track record-breaking romp on last year, this was a street fight not settled until the final stages, with Via Sistina out-bobbing stablemate Buckaroo to claim victory.

Fellow Yulong-owned mare Treasurethe Moment, who looked a likely winner when she kicked clear on the turn, finished third.

It was a fourth-straight Cox Plate win for jockey James McDonald and a sixth overall for trainer Chris Waller, in what was a history-making performance.  

Via Sistina, an Irish-bred daughter of Australian sprinter Fastnet Rock, became the oldest Group 1 winning-mare in Australia since the Group 1 pattern system was internationally established in 1979, one day older than Winx when she won her final Group 1 race in 2019.

While she started a much shorter price this year, at $2.25, Via Sistina would have to fight hard for her second success,

Light Infantry Man took control of the speed early, and set a decent tempo, with Treasurethe Moment tracking him and Attrition in third.

Aeliana and Hugh Bowman pursued an inside run throughout, but this mare’s chances were all but ended when she ran out of room at the key moment at the 600-metre mark.

As Light Infantry Man and Attrition faded, Treasurethemoment surged to the front and for a period around the turn, Via Sistina, who had swooped into contention, looked flat footed.

However, McDonald lifted the mare, setting out after the leader and gaining control inside the final 100 metres only for Buckaroo to peel off her back and charge late. Just as her Waller stablemate, and fellow Fastnet Rock progeny, looked set to cause an upset, Via Sistina lifted, getting a clear margin on the line.

Treasurethe Moment was 1.5 lengths away in third, followed by Attrition, Light Infantry Man, Aeliana, Neotism and Antino, who jockey Blake Shinn reported was never comfortable and finished nearly eight lengths of the winner.    

McDonald, who had won on Anamoe in 2022, Romantic Warrior in 2023, and this mare 12 months ago, is making the race his own. He moves within one of Darby Munro’s five wins in the race, and joins Hugh Bowman, Glen Boss, Brent Thomson and Jack Purtell as four-time winners.

“I think this one’s relief,” McDonald said. “I love this place, I’m blessed to ride champion racehorses and be part of a champion stable.”

Waller is also within one of his own record, in his case held by TJ Smith with seven Cox Plate victories.

 “It was a great race. A classic Cox Plate. James had to get going early and everyone could see him. He was five wide turning for home. She was great and Treasurethe Moment was awesome and gave it something to chase,” Waller said,

“And Buckaroo that was… I’m glad Via won and Buckaroo, he’s run out of his skin.”

Waller praised the special relationship between the champion mare and her jockey.

“It’s confidence. James works months on this. He’s loyal, so dedicated. He’s only had eyes for Via Sistina and set everything at this race for her and Buckaroo almost undid it,” he said.

It was also a marquee success for Yulong, which has been the biggest investor in the Australian thoroughbred industry in the past eight years.

Via Sistina may have cost Zhang Yuesheng the equivalent of $5.2 million at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, but he was now won $21.6 million in prize money, including victories in 10 Australian Group 1s.

Next year’s Cox Plate will be held at Flemington before the event returns to the new Moonee Valley track in 2027.