Via Sistina withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup 2024
Record breaking Cox Plate winner Via Sistina will miss the Melbourne Cup but is still likely to be seen in action during the week.
A roundtable discussion between trainer Chris Waller, Yulong’s General Manager Vix Cox along with Yulong principal Yuesheng Zhang and his daughter decided to bypass the Cup in favour of the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
And a trip to Hong Kong for the international meeting in December has also been ruled out.
Cox said the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday had not been in the team’s thoughts with Via Sistina’s campaign centred around the last Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.
“We would all love to win a Melbourne Cup, not the least us,” Cox told RSN.
“The Melbourne Cup was never really on the radar and albeit she absolutely bolted in the Cox Plate and looked super impressive, but the Melbourne Cup, (it was) an afterthought, (and) probably doesn’t really add up.
“We know how afterthoughts can work out and generally not that well, so hopefully we will be taking aim at the Champions Stakes next week.”
Cox said Via Sistina was due to make her way back to Waller’s Flemington stable to prepare for the Champions Stakes having spent time at Mount Macedon following the Cox Plate.
He said it was a tough decision to rule out Hong Kong with the horse’s welfare the main priority.
“That was a very tough decision because Mr Zhang has got huge connections in Hong Kong and throughout mainland China,” Cox said.
“It’s something he really wanted to do but, what it came down to, and Chris is very meticulous, the mare hasn’t yet 100 per cent acclimated to the Southern Hemisphere.
“To take her back up to the Northern Hemisphere and jeopardise where she is now and where she is progressing, was a big factor.”
While Via Sistina won’t be seen until Champions Day, Yulong will have a strong hand in one of the feature Group 1 races on the opening day of Cup week.
Growing Empire and First Settler will chase Group 1 honours in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), regarded as one of Australia’s leading stallion making races.
Cox confirmed the Ciaron Maher-trained Growing Empire would take his place after finishing third to Bella Nipotina in the Group 1 The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 19.
“Ciaron and his team are adamant the horse is flying, and I have no reason to query that at all,” Cox said.
“The were very excited to run, very keen to run and hopefully he runs to his best and it would be wonderful if he is challenging in the last 100 (metres) in the Coolmore.”
Via Sistina officially ranked the world’s number 1⃣ racehorse!
The Cox Plate has always been her main target, to win it is nothing short of a dream.
Following this peak performance and after much consideration, it has been decided she will not contest the 2024 Melbourne Cup. pic.twitter.com/Ni9uSjvsdy
— Yulong Investments (@YulongInvest) October 29, 2024
More Racing News
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Jason Collett hoping to find Express lane in The Gong
Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern...
Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange
Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...
Mark Walker aims for ‘new’ hometown Cranbourne Cup
Trainer Mark Walker has a good record when in form New Zealand gallopers land in Australia. Walker’s latest ‘import’ is It’s A Wild Night who will have his first Australian outing in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) on Saturday. It’s A Wild Night arrived at Walker’s Cranbourne base just over a week ago...
Railway Stakes 2024 timing perfect for Baker’s Bel
In-form mare Belclare will need to overcome a wide alley to land her first Australian Group One win in the Railway Stakes at Ascot, and connections believe Nash Rawiller is the perfect man for the job. A two-time victor at the highest level in New Zealand, Belclare joined the Sydney stable of Bjorn...
Trainer Gavin Bedggood chasing Fortune in The Meteorite
Gavin Bedggood hopes the decision to take Oscar’s Fortune to Cranbourne for a midweek gallop will pay off handsomely on Saturday. Oscar’s Fortune runs in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m), a new ‘slot race’ that Southside Racing, a merged entity of the Cranbourne and Pakenham Clubs, runs for the first time. The former...
John Stewart eyes Melbourne with 2024 Japan Cup fancy
Goliath faces one of the toughest tasks in racing this weekend, beating the Japanese at home in their biggest race, but John Stewart is already planning his next moves with his star recruit and Australia is on the itinerary. The ambitious American has quickly become a powerful investor in Australian racing and...
Hedged poised to give The Warra rivals a trim-up
The Magic Millions carnival is the campaign focal point for promising sprinter Hedged, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping he can knock off a feature race along the way. The gelding will resume in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, his first start...