Saturday summary: Via Sistina’s 'Winx-like' Cox Plate win seals McDonald’s 100th Group 1

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Via Sistina delivers “Winx-like” performance in the Cox Plate

There was a lot of breaths being held since Tuesday morning, where Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and James McDonald parted ways in front of the Breakfast With The Best crowd at the Valley, and all of them became a collective sigh of relief on Saturday when the 7-year-old mare stormed clear in the same home straight to secure a 8l victory over a quality G1 Cox Plate field.

Japanese raider Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) overtook a tiring Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) on the turn, but could not make any ground on Chris Waller’s star mare, with Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) battling gamely into third place a further 2l behind.

Rising out of the saddle with 50 metres still to go, James McDonald held his whip aloft as the mare, now a five-time Group 1 winner, sailed across the line to deliver him his third Cox Plate in a row.

“I just wanted to keep it smooth, and she loved it,” he said. “She won like Winx, she blended, and, gee, it’s just a phenomenal performance. It’s pretty surreal.”

He had thought that Tuesday’s incident had snuffed his chances for the weekend, “I think there was a fantastic picture there when I popped myself up and looked and watched her gallop away, and I think if looks could tell a story, we were stuffed.”

But Via Sistina showed they were far from “stuffed”, bolting home to hand the Kiwi jockey his 100th career Group 1 win in the process.

Waller was understandably quite emotional following the performance. It was his fifth win in the event, following his former star Winx’s (Street Cry {Ire}) four successive victories. Via Sistina’s time of 2:01.07 carves nearly two seconds off the great mare’s 2017 record of 2:02.94.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“It was a big week, but I’ve just had full support from the owners, my staff, all the team, Moonee Valley,” he said. “It’s just been overwhelming. There’s not been any negativity, only positive vibes. I’m proud of her, so proud of her. There’s probably ten key factors, and it’s not anything else except common sense, simple as that.

“We never lost faith and just just followed our instincts. We’ve had to do these things before. You just had to forget what happened on Tuesday, she’s a good horse and it was my job to prove it.”

Vin Cox, general manager of the Yulong operation, was effusive with his praise for the mare.

“You don't ever expect to win a race the stature of a Cox Plate in that fashion,” he said. “Course-record time and she blew it apart. It was stunning. So happy for the boss (Mr Zhang) and his family, who put a lot into the game.

“Chris (Waller) was always very confident and horses that get to this level are pretty tough by definition, so they are going to cop setbacks. Not that it was a setback as such, but it was not the plan.”

Via Sistina’s unraced dam Nigh (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a half-sister to GB Champion 3YO Sprinter Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil {USA}) and Listed-placed Vanishing Grey (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), dam of Listed Prix Millkom winner First Contact (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who also ran third in the G1 Jebel Hatta S.. Her sire Fastnet Rock was pensioned from stud duties at Coolmore Stud earlier this year, having finished the 2023/24 season as Australia’s leading broodmare sire.

Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud Farm, she was originally a 5000gns (AU$10,300) purchase for Stephen Hillen Bloodstock at the 2016 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale. Four years and a win in the G1 Pretty Polly S. later, she was offered at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, where Evergreen Equine purchased her on behalf of Yulong Investments for 2,700,000gns (AU$5.5 million). Connections of Lucky Vega (Ire), who shuttles to Yulong's Victorian stud farm, acquired her dam at the same sale for 200,000gns ($412,000).

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Third time's the charm for Belclare in The Invitation

The front-running Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) was too strong in the $2,000,000 The Invitation at Randwick on Saturday, fending off favourite Magic Time (Hellbent) to score by 1.17l for Bjorn Baker. The 7-year-old mare was having her third start for Baker, having won the last two editions of the G1 Breeders’ S. in Ellerslie when trained by Lisa Latta, and in doing so, extends her record to 12 wins.

“Third time lucky,” said Baker, who guided the mare to unplaced, but meritorious, runs in the G2 Sheraco S. and $1,500,000 Alan Brown S. “This mare is a dual Group 1 winner in New Zealand and we are very lucky to have received a ready made racehorse earlier in the year.

“It's been a bit of a learning curve with her, but today was the day we wanted to have her right for and it all went to plan.”

“The owners were here last start, and I couldn’t get the job done, but it’s great to bounce back,” said Tyler Schiller, who won the Listed Crowley S. earlier in the day. “She’s awfully tough.

“I thought I was beaten three times (in the straight) when I saw one come up to me, but she just kept kicking. Bjorn has done a terrific job to turn her around start to start. She’s a lovely mare.”

Belclare is a daughter of winning O’Reilly (NZ) mare Miss Rhythmic (NZ), half-sister to Listed Oaks Prelude-placed Luxe (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), and descended from Joint NZ Filly of the Year Olga’s Pal (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}). She is one of 31 stakes winners for her Little Avondale Stud-based sire Per Incanto (USA), who is offered at $50,000 (plus GST) this season.

Plenty Of Ammo on track for Empire Rose with Moonee Valley mile win

Plenty Of Ammo (Rebel Raider) relished a return to the mile at Moonee Valley, delivering Symon Wilde a 0.75l victory in the G2 Crystal Mile over Royal Champion (Ire) (Sharmardal {USA}) on Saturday. The 7-year-old mare was having just her seventh career start for her fifth victory, having run second in the Listed Paris Lane S. last start. She hasn’t been further back than second after her maiden win at Warrnambool in September last year. Jockey Jordan Childs was thrilled with the run.

“Once she balanced up in the straight, she was really good through the line,” Childs said. “She’s got a lot of ability for a lightly raced mare and Symon Wilde’s team has done a good job to get her through a few issues. She's come back in really good nick and it’s great to get a good win for the team on a special day like this.”

Earlier in the week, Symon Wilde indicated that the mare would head to the G1 Empire Rose S. next based on Saturday’s performance.

The second foal of Millie’s Reef (Floral Pegasus), Plenty Of Ammo was bred by Danny and Hanna Rose’s Cherokee Rose Stud and has now accumulated $375,350 in prizemoney. She is the seventh stakes winner for her sire, dual Group 1-winning Rebel Raider. Millie’s Reef foaled a colt by G2 Schillaci S. winner Dirty Work this spring.

Pillar to post win for Future History to deliver a Maher Cup trifecta

Future History (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) justified his favouritism going into the G3 JRA Cup at Moonee Valley on Saturday by heading up a Ciaron Maher trifecta in the race, ahead of Promises Kept (Cluster) and Kettle Hill (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}). Maher also trained fourth placed Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines). The 7-year-old gelding, carrying a top weight of 58kg, led from the kick and was able to hold on to win by 1.5l in the 2040-metre event.

“It was a good, positive ride by Mark,” said Maher. “The team has done a good job to come back off a poor run (13th in The Metropolitan) to pick him up again.”

Last year, the gelding finished third in the G2 Moonee Valley Cup, run at Friday’s night meeting, ahead of an unsuccessful tilt of the G1 Melbourne Cup. He currently sits just outside the top twenty in the order of entry for the first Tuesday in November.

“It was like two laps on the big sand at Flemington, I just put my hands on the neck (at the 700 metres) and let the horse go as fast as he wants, and he was doing just enough to hold off (the rest),” said jockey Mark Zahra. “I didn't have time to look at the big screen, but I thought, if anything catches me now, it must be a bloody good horse.”

Now a dual Group 3 winner, Future History is the best performed son of juvenile winner Likelihood (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}), a half-sister to G1 Hollywood Derby victor Seek Again (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) and G3 Ali Mile S.-winning stallion Treble Jig (USA). Nick Bell, Peter Trainor, and Huworth teamed up to purchase him for 140,000gns ($288,400) at the 2022 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, where he was offered by Juddmonte Farms. Future History is the fourth of 72 stakes winners for Whitsbury Manor Stud-based Showcasing (GB) to strike black type in Australia.

Lindermann bounces back to his best in the Craven Plate

It was a performance full of heart from Lindermann (Lonhro) as he carried the Woppit Bloodstock colours to victory in the G3 Craven Plate at Randwick on Saturday. Trained by Chris Waller, the 5-year-old gelding bravely fought past Spirit Ridge (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the last 100 metres to win by 0.14l, with stablemate Democracy Manifest (Flying Artist) fighting hard to the line for third.

“I was actually amazed that they held Lindermann in for such a long time,” Waller’s assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said. “He's such a big boy, I thought he'd bullock his way out a bit easier than he did. But they rode obviously nice, true, competitive lines and he was fortunate to get out.

“The Kepitis family has had a rough trot with Riff Rocket so it's good to get an old boy like him (Lindermann) back to his best and winning on a big day,” he added. Lindermann was sidelined with injury in April and Duckworth praised the team effort involved in getting the gelding back to his best.

“Full credit to the whole rehab team to get him to this point and to get him to win today.”

The G1 Rosehill Guineas-winning son of Australian Horse of the Year Lonhro is a homebred for Debbie Kepitis’s Woppitt Bloodstock and is the second foal from Listed Gold Coast Bracelet runner-up Self Esteem (Stratum), who was also fourth in the G1 Vinery Stud S. The family extends to Champion 2YO Assertive Lad (Zedative) and dual Group 1-winning sire Reset. Self Esteem foaled a colt by Widden Stud’s Written By last year and awaits a foal by Pierro this spring.

“Mr Consistent” puts on star performance in Five Diamonds Prelude

Iknowastar (Star Witness) lived up to his name in the $1,000,000 Five Diamonds Prelude at Randwick on Saturday, where the 5-year-old gelding put on a dazzling performance to claim his 10th victory in 25 starts, fending off a late challenge from Territory Express (Territories {Ire}). He also delivered a race-to-race double for Bjorn Baker, having won the $2,000,000 The Invitation just before with classy kiwi Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).

Regular jockey Rachel King gave the quirky gelding his credit, “I don’t have much choice, he just does what he wants. That’s him.

“Again, he didn’t jump that well today. He’s just being a bit of a pest in the gates, he’s actually feeling so well, he’s probably almost too well. I nearly went to Plan B but he had other ideas. One good head shake and a pull of the reins, so I said, ‘Okay mate, you do you’. I let him be in control, but that’s when he’s happiest.

“He’s just tough. I thought I was beaten, to be honest. I thought the other horse got its head down on the line, but he deserves it because he’s Mr Consistent. He doesn’t know how to run a bad race and he’s a pleasure to ride.”

Despite his record, the son of Widden Stud’s Star Witness nearly left Baker’s stable before breaking his maiden in February last year. He quickly followed that performance with three more wins and proved he was worth the effort.

“He's been a revelation,” Baker said. “He had three hooves and his tail out of the door. We were about to sack him. Since then he's just turned it around completely.

“He's been a great horse, he's an exciting horse. He puts the punch into races.”

The fifth foal of five-time winner Hidden Message (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), Iknowastar was a $80,000 purchase for his trainer and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and has now pushed his earnings over the million-dollar mark. Hidden Message has a 2-year-old three-quarter sister to him by Vinery Stud’s Star Turn and has since produced two colts by Peltzer. The sire of 25 stakes winners, Star Witness is also the sire of rising star filly Bellatrix Star, who added another stakes win to her record two weeks ago in the G2 Schillaci S.