Saturday summary: Via Sistina dominates, Mr Brightside earns gritty win, Sunshine In Paris prevails

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Via Sistina cements superstar status in G1 Champion Stakes

Like a high-powered sports car, Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) simply had a gear her rivals did not when storming clear for an emphatic victory to back up her dominant Cox Plate win in the G1 Champions S. (2000 metres) at Flemington on Saturday.

The 7-year-old mare stalked the pace before being produced to the outside by James McDonald entering the straight, trucking up to the leaders under a hold before exploding clear to win in a canter by 2.75l, with stablemate Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) running on into second and 2023 Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) making a solid return in third.

Many questioned whether Via Sistina could reproduce her incredible performance in the Cox Plate which saw her break Winx’s (Street Cry {Ire}) track and race record, resulting in a rating which sees her sit atop the world rankings.

However, the world’s highest rated racehorse did not disappoint jockey, trainer or horse racing fans.

“That was awesome,” said McDonald. “Everything just went beautifully to plan. I had the horse to really give me a smooth ride, 600 (metres) to the 400 (metres) I was just like changing gears… Vroom… I just let her go and she can do the rest.

“She is lightly raced, and she is just coming into her own. She thrives on work, it’s great for the whole team there. Chris (Waller) and his team have done an incredible job.”

Waller was delighted and relieved that everything had gone to plan, indicating that a lot of thought had gone into what the next move would be with Via Sistina after her Cox Plate romp and most importantly what would be best for the horse.

“It was very special winning the Cox Plate the way she did,” Waller said.

“I think it caught everyone by surprise and then the pressure to back her up and go one more run, we’ve spoken about sport analogies – having another game after a grand final – we were thinking about it constantly. She is a very, very special horse obviously but don’t underestimate how hard these horses work. So, we could see that, we just backed off her the last two weeks and gave her an easy time.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“We just have a great team around Australia, who do great things with horses that they love. She captured the imagination with her Tuesday morning workout and backed it up with an impressive record winning run in the Cox Plate. There was a temptation to run in the Melbourne Cup but the Melbourne Cup was a good enough story without us.

“It definitely helps having a good jockey.”

McDonald finished the Melbourne Cup carnival with 11 winners, the most of his career after riding four winners on the last day.

“I ride for some brilliant trainers,” McDonald said.

“I get on the best horses and I’m lucky that I get to drive them basically. I steer them round a white rail and hope for the best, they do the rest.”

Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud Farm, Via Sistina was purchased for 5000gns (AU$10,300) by Stephen Hillen Bloodstock at the 2019 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Jamie Railton as agent. After winning the G1 Pretty Polly S., she was offered at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, where Evergreen Equine purchased her for 2,700,000gns (AU$5.5 million).

The Lucky Vega Syndicate acquired her unraced dam Nigh (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at the same sale for 200,000gns (AU$412,000). Nigh 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.. Via Sistina’s 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.

Group 1 number 8 for Mr Brightside in G1 Champions Mile

Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) has come out on top in a mouthwatering clash between superstars of the turf in Saturday’s G1 Champions Mile at Flemington on Saturday.

The star-studded field was touted as the race of the carnival, boasting eight Group 1 winners including Horse of Year Pride of Jenni (Pride of Dubai), Champion 2-Year-Old Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}), devastating last start G1 Toorak H. winner Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) and multiple Group 1-winning mare Fangirl (Sebring).

There were a number of chances still in contention at the furlong but it was Mr Brightside who was able to draw to the front late under regular jockey Craig Williams to hold off the fast finishing Antino to score a determined win by 0.5l, with Fangirl finishing a further 0.5l back in third.

Mr Brightside had won the G1 Makybe Diva S. back in September before two runner-up performances in G2 Feehan S. and G1 Caulfield S. with his target being the G1 Cox Plate. He finished a distant fourth there against superstar mare Via Sistina so the Lindsay Park team decided to drop him back to the mile and apply blinkers for the first time, at start 40. A move that won them the Champions Mile, according to champion jockey Craig Williams.

“He’s had a great preparation; won the Makybe Diva Stakes here,” Williams said.

“His grand final was the Cox Plate and he ran fourth but ran phenomenally. They’ve come here today in the Champions Mile against all these top horses and they’ve gone with the blinkers for the first time and it’s been the right product today.

“Credit to all their team and of course to Mr B.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Co-trainer Ben Hayes was visibly moved by the win which saw Mr Brightside take his earnings to over $16 million and handed Williams his 80th Group 1 win in the saddle.

“He’s just been so consistent this prep and today he just landed in a good spot,” Hayes said.

“He flew the gates. I’m shaking. He’s just such a special horse to us. I was hoping he would get that gap and he got it. He was so strong through the line it was a super effort. Well done to all of Lindsay Park and all the owners. He has taken us on the most amazing ride, I just can’t believe it.

“He has never run a bad race for us. He’s an absolute gentleman and I’m just so proud and happy for Craig (Williams) and everyone involved.”

Mr Brightside now boasts a record of 18 wins and 12 placings from 40 career starts.

Purchased for NZ$22,000 by Phil Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) from the draft of Phoenix Park at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka May Sale, Mr Brightside was passed in when he appeared at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale later that year. He is out of the unraced Tavistock (NZ) mare Lilahjay (NZ), who’s dam Keepable (NZ) (Keeper) is a half-sister to G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Foxwood (NZ) (Centaine). Lilahjay produced a colt by Satono Aladdin (JPN) in October before passing away.

The Sun was shining in G1 Champions Sprint

A narrow gap was all it took for James McDonald and Sunshine in Paris (Invader) to burst through and nail straight-track specialist Right to Party (Zoustar) and secure the G1 Champions Sprint (1200 metres), with superstar mare Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) fighting on for a close-up third.

“I’m so thrilled for Annabel (Neasham) and John the owner, obviously they took a risk backing her up from Sydney but wow she’s a beautiful mare, geez she gave me a good ride,” McDonald said.

“I didn’t know who had won. I had the grey horse on my inside but I would have been a certainty beat if I didn’t get out but I had the mare to do it.”

The daughter of Invader has had in incredible prep; taking out the G2 Sheraco S. (1200 metres) first-up before finishing fifth in The Everest and runner-up behind superstar mare Bella Nipotina in the $3 million Russell Balding S. (1300 metres) at Rosehill.

With the mare in such great form, Neasham decided to back up Sunshine in Paris in seven days however she admits she was questioning if this was the right decision pre-race.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

The G1 Champions Sprint was Sunshine in Paris’s second success at the elite level after taking out the G1 Surround S. (1400 metres) as a 3-year-old. Saturday's victory saw her record extend to six wins and four placings from 13 starts with earnings of over $4.5 million.

Bred by Aquis Farm, Sunshine In Paris was initially sold by the Blue Sky Premium Consignment to Champagne Bloodstock for $90,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Returning to the venue a year later, she was offered by Newgate Consignment and sold to the bid of James Harron Bloodstock as agent for John Camilleri. Her dam Zenaida (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) is also the dam of the G3 Typhoon Tracy S. winner Macroura (Snitzel) and was bought by Yulong Investment’s at the same event last year for $1.4 million, carrying a pregnancy to Maurice (Jpn). She delivered a colt last spring, following with a filly by Alabama Express this year.

Savaglee makes it three in the 2000 Guineas

Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) extended his winning streak to three in a row on Saturday, taking out the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton. Winner of the G3 Matamata Slipper S. as a 2-year-old, the now 3-year-old colt, trained by Pam Gerard, put 2.8l on Love Poem (Snitzel) to win the 1600-metre contest and make it six wins in 12 starts. Four of his wins have come this season, rising from a $40,000 3-year-old handicap to capture two Group 2 wins on the way into Saturday’s contest.

Trainer Pam Gerard struck out on her own in August, previously training in partnership with Mike Moroney for the last decade, and Savaglee has delivered four of her 14 wins so far this season. His Saturday win was also the third fastest running of the Group 1 race at 1:33.86, just 0.27s slower than Xtravagant (NZ) in 2015.

“He’s been brilliant,” Gerard told racingnews.co.nz. “I wasn’t worried until about 10 minutes before the race, but then it all hit home. You start thinking, ‘Have I done it right?’

“But Sam’s riding like a demon today. She was always very confident, and this is just a really good little horse that’s gone from strength to strength this season. It was probably easy in the end, but it’s never easy to watch.

“It’s special to come back to my old hometown and win this race. I’ve run second a couple of times before, so this is fantastic.”

She paid tribute to owners The Oaks Stud; “(They are) amazing, I’m so honoured that they’ve entrusted me with this horse, and he’s done the job for them today. He’s halfway to being a stallion now.”

“It’s always a huge honour to win a race like this,” Rick Williams, The Oaks Stud general manager, said. “We’ve been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of (race sponsors) Al Basti Equiworld’s generous sponsorship a couple of times now.”

He was reciprocal with praise for Gerard, recalling Gerard’s care of The Oaks Stud’s G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Risque (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) when she was an assistant trainer at Te Akau Racing.

“As far as I’m concerned, Pam and The Oaks Stud are two-from-two together now,” he said. “Sam Spratt is riding at the absolute peak of her powers as well. I really appreciate the way she’s stuck with this horse and the relationship she’s formed with him.

“He’s just an exceptional colt, and I’m hoping we’ll see a bit more of that in the future.”

Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee was purchased by The Oaks Stud for NZ$400,000 at the New Zealand National Yearling Sale last year. He is the best of three winners from Glee (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), full sister to G3 Cuddle S. placegetter Symphonic, dam of dual Group 1 winner Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel), and Listed-placed Tralee Chorus (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), as well as three-quarter-sister to Spring (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), dam of Champion 3YO in New Zealand Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}). From the same family is Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel), winner of Thursday’s G1 Empire Rose S. Glee produced a full sister to Savaglee last year and returned to nine-time Champion NZ Sire Savabeel later in the spring.

Savaglee was the sixth Waikato Stud-bred winner of the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas - Noverre (NZ), Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), Madison County (NZ) (Pins), Embellish (NZ) and Sacred Falls (NZ) the others.

Pericles glistens in rich Five Diamonds

Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) is bred in the purple, being one of five stakes winners for Godolphin’s blue hen Accessories (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and earned the Blue Army a big payday on Saturday when fending off Queensland raider Freedom Rally (Rubick) in a driving finish to win by a head.

Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy for James Cummings, Pericles enjoyed his financially most successful day in the $2 million Five Diamonds, despite already winning the G2 Autumn Classic and G2 Tramway H., as well as collecting multiple Group 1 placings along the way.

“He’s been such a great campaigner for us. He’s been around in everything but the Bong Bong Bike Race,” assistant trainer Darren Beadman said.

“He (Kerrin McEvoy) rode him such a lovely race from the 400 metres to the 200 metres. He’s a little bit suspect at the distance, but with the blinkers off today, he relaxed well in the run.

“He’s such a placid animal. You just don’t realise how big he is until you go to put the saddle on him; he’s very tall horse and has a lot of substance to him.

“He was second last year here in the Golden Eagle, just got touched off by the Japanese horse (Obamburumai). But he adds a lot of enthusiasm to the camp.”

Pericles is a half-brother to Bullbars (Elusive Quality), whose son Mr Brightside collected an 8th Group 1 win on the same day, multiple Group 1 winners Helmet (Exceed and Excel) and Epaulette (Commands), and Group 2 winner Pearls (Exceed and Excel). Not served in 2023, Accessories foaled a filly by Ghaiyyath (Ire) last year.

The son of Street Boss (USA) took his record to six wins and 10 placings from 24 career starts with earnings of over $5.3 million.

Belclare too speedy in Hot Danish Stakes

Speedy New Zealand mare Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) showed her rivals a clean pair of heels to make it back-to-back stakes wins in the G2 Hot Danish S. (1400 metres) at Rosehill on Saturday.

After winning the G1 Thoroughbred Breeders S. at Ellerslie, Belclare disappointed at her Australian debut before showing improvement at her second start when beaten 2.5l in the $1.5 million Alan Brown S.. However, it was last start that Beclare’s class shone through, when taking out the $2million The Invitation, leading all the way to defeat Magic Time (Hellbent) by a little over a length.

The same tactics that saw Belclare take out the Invitation were employed again by jockey Tyler Schiller with the same result; again Magic Time finishing just over a length back in second.

Bjorn Baker’s stable representative Glen Lobb believes Belclare is only going to continue to improve, especially up in trip.

“She just got a little stirred up her first run but then Bjorn elected to take the blinkers off her and her last run was terrific,” Lobb said.

“She gets along at a really high cruising speed and gets everything off the bit and when Magic Time was caught wide here today, I thought she will know it out there with this mare running along.

“The mile looks very suitable for her.

“She came here with good raps because she was a Group 1 winner in New Zealand so we all thought she’s got the form. She’s gone from strength to strength since she has been here.”

Belclare is the third foal from the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Miss Rhythmic (NZ), a winner of one race and a full sister to Luxe, who ran third in the Listed Taranaki Oaks Prelude. Bred and initially raced by David Woodhouse, Belclare was offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale earlier this year, but failed to make her reserve and has successfully raced on. The 7-year-old’s record now stands at 13 wins, 2 in Australia and 11 in New Zealand, from 40 starts with earnings over $2.2 million.

Her multiple Group successes place her at the top of her Little Avondale Stud-based sire’s offspring. Miss Rhythmic delivered a full sister last year before visiting Satono Aladdin (Jpn) and is now listed as retired.

J-Mac masterclass gets Hinged home in Matriarch Stakes

A frustrating horse for many, Hinged (Worthy Cause) showed her class to arrive in the nick of time after a perfectly calculated ride by James McDonald to claim the G2 Matriarch S. at Flemington on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained mare, often the bridesmaid and rarely the bride, has raced in elite company for the majority of her career and proved her doubters wrong with a powerful finish to come from some 6l off the lead and run down Declan Bates aboard Sirileo Miss (Pride of Dubai) in the shadows of the post to win by 0.25l.

“I threw everything at her,” McDonald said. “It was nice to get a result for Brae (Sokolski), she means a lot to him. She obviously hasn’t won for a while but it’s great they kept her in work and she can win a valuable Group 2.”

Waller believes that the Group 1-winning mare was deserving of the victory despite being a long time between wins.

“Hinged, she’s been a great horse,” he said. “She hasn’t won for 18 months, Brae Sokolski was telling me this morning, but she has been racing against some really good horses and often comes off second or third best but she got her day today.”

The 6-year-old took her record to 7 wins and 12 placings from 40 starts, earning over $2 million in prizemoney.

Hinged was bred by long-time owner-breeder Dr Kim McCasker, and was purchased in a private deal by Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir in mid-2021. She is the first named foal from 12-time winner Tints (Tycoon Ruler), who delivered a Snitzel colt before being covered by Arrowfield Stud shuttler Maurice late last season. Her full sister, Hue (Worthy Cause), delivered a colt by Love Conquers All this spring.

Smoke show performance in G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes

In his first win since the 2022 G1 Turnbull S., Smokin’ Romans (Ghibellines) turned back the clock to lead throughout in the G3 Queen Elizabeth S. at Flemington.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Smokin’ Romans found the front comfortably not long after jumping and controlled the tempo down to a crawl under Ben Melham. A midrace move by Dirty Rascal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to whip up and sit up outside the leader failed to rattle the cage of the eight-year-old who found plenty in the straight to hold off the fast-finishing Star Vega (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to win by 0.5l on the line, with a big margin back to Berkley Square (Territories {Ire}) in third.

“He’s been a little out of form, this horse, but he’s a good galloper on his day,” Melham said.

“It is two years ago but you’ve got to have ability to win a Group 1 and you can never discount horses in this yard. He’s a master, Ciaron.

“He just loved finding a rhythm in front today and he has returned to his best.

“We had it pretty comfortable the first half. Mid race they set out after me but they weren’t fast enough to trouble him. I stepped it up from the 1000 metres and we had Star Vega breathing down our neck late which didn’t want to drop off.”

Despite starting double figures, Maher indicated he wasn’t at all surprised by the result, especially given his gelding’s antics pre-race.

“I said to Ben, ‘You have to ride your own race, if they want to go round you they can do that but roll out and make sure you control the race’.

Smokin’ Romans was Maher’s fifth winner for the Carnival, taking him to the top of the trainer’s table for the most wins during Melbourne Cup week, one clear of Chris Waller. The gelding took his earnings to almost $2 million, with his record now standing at 10 wins and nine placings from 40 career starts.

Bred by Brian Anderton ONZM and his wife Lorraine, Smokin’ Romans was offered through Anderton’s White Robe Lodge at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, where he was bought by Darren Weir Racing for NZ$52,500. He is the best-performed foal of two-time G3 Canterbury Cup winner Inferno (NZ) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}), who is a half-sister to Listed Inglewood S. winner Ortem Fire (NZ) (Gallant Guru) and Listed placegetter Unfurl (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}). Inferno is listed as retired, after foaling a full brother to Smokin’ Romans last year and being covered by Ancient Spirit (Ger).

“Tough” Rey Magnerio gets well-deserved stakes win

Rey Magnerio (Magnus) showed great determination to drive between runners late under the urgings of Jye McNeil and claim his first stakes win in a highly competitive Listed Circa Always Welcome S. at Flemington on Saturday.

The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained 5-year-old had been knocking on the door with two stakes placings at his previous two starts and finally broke through for a deserving black-type win, overhauling a gallant Front Page (Magnus) in the shadows of the post, while holding off a late surge from the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Robrick (Invader) which dead heated for second place.

Griffiths and de Kock elected for the quick back-up after a somewhat unlucky second in the G3 Rising Fast S., which may have been the catalyst for his return to the winners’ stall.

“He’s got a great will to win and he backs up well, as you can see,” Griffiths said.

“It’s been fantastic, all the horses have hit the mark all week and he is our final runner and he’s got the money so it’s fantastic.

“He’s a tough horse. He’s been down a few times and didn’t look like he couldn’t win and got up.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

With his stakes breakthrough, Rey Magnerio took his record to seven wins, three seconds, and three thirds from 16 starts with earnings of $537,300.

Bred by A and J Nitschke, the gelding is one of two winners from Testa Rossa mare Luchardo, a full sister to G3 RA Lee S.-placed Red For Lou, dam of R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Le Chef (Exceed And Excel), and a half-sister to G3 Naturalism S. winner Magnapal (Magnus). Luchardo is expecting a foal by Shamus Award this spring. Magnus passed away last year, with Rey Magnerio becoming his 30th stakes winner.