Cox Plate winner Via Sistina roars away with another dominant victory in Champion Stakes at Flemington

Via Sistina has sustained her claim to being Australia’s best racehorse with victory in Saturday’s Group 1 TAB Champion Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, relieving the decision not to run in the Melbourne Cup. The Cox Plate champion, sent off a raging $1.60 TABtouch elect, settled worse than centre field, with fellow Yulong-owned galloper Deny Knowledge ($15) setting the pace. Turning into the straight, the mare was simply trucking for jockey James McDonald and struck the front with 300m remaining despite a cosy ride. With all other hoops rowing away in behind, McDonald shook the reins and Via Sistina responded with brilliant acceleration to settle the race within moments. Notwithstanding last week’s Group 1 winner and also Waller-trained mare Atishu’s best efforts, she was simply inferior and finished two-and-three-quarter lengths astern on the line. Moreover, master trainer Chris Waller was vindicated by choosing Saturday’s assignment in preference to the race that stops the nation. “It was very special. Winning the Cox Plate the way she did, I think caught everyone by surprise, and then the pressure to back her up and go one more run,” he said. “We spoke about sport analogies and having another game after a grand final and we were thinking about it constantly. “But she’s a very, very special horse, obviously. Don’t underestimate how hard these horses work, so we could see that. We just backed off in the last two weeks and gave her a good time and it worked. “She captured the imagination with the Tuesday morning workout (at The Valley before the Cox Plate), backed up with an impressive track-record-winning run in the Cox Plate. “And then there was the temptation to run in a Melbourne Cup - but I think the Melbourne Cup is a good enough story without us.” While capturing the imagination of the racing preparation in recent weeks, Via Sistina’s current preparation is done, but the possibilities remain endless for the seven-year-old. “I might take her back to England … I’ll talk to Mr. Zhang and his family,” he said. “Wherever she goes, it’s a bonus really, with what she’s done this year. Give her a spell now and, I guess, look at the Queen Elizabeth.”