Via Sistina claims ninth Group 1 success in Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Via Sistina ($2) has continued to add to her astonishing resume, securing a ninth Group 1 victory in the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday afternoon.
She was simply too classy for her rivals in the $5 million feature, with the Chris Waller-trained mare bursting clear from the back-half of the field to solidify herself as the best horse in the nation, fending off a gallant Dubai Honour () in the shadows of the post.
It was ugly viewing for favourite backers as they sorted the order out, however, with the star mare caught along the inside running rail and a wall of horses in her sight.
Deny Knowledge () helped settle the nerves, with the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) runner-up setting a genuine tempo throughout the 2000m journey, as Light Infantry Man ($18) went forward to sit on her outside.
Tom Kitten ($16 with Dabble) loomed into the one-one as he backed up from last Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m), while Dubai Honour didn’t have much luck getting into a bumping dual with Japanese raider Rousham Park ().
Lindermann ($34) took over as they turned for home and gave the stable companion something to follow into the race as the saloon passage unfolded for Via Sistina as James McDonald pulled the whip at the top of the straight.
She was quick to takeover, and while Dubai Honour and Tom Kitten were making some inroads late, they were simply no match for Via Sistina, adding a seventh Group 1 success in the last 12 months, equally the feat of champion mare Winx.
An emotional Chris Waller was on track at Randwick to break down the win.
“She just keeps turning up every week, I’d like to have a few more like her,” Waller said.
“And we have, we’ve got a great team, but she just shows the difference between a good horse and a champion.
“It was an economical run, we had the right man aboard. James has continued to mature and not panic, that’s the key to winning these big races. The big jockeys win them all the time, to have one of them on your horse’s back is a big plus for your team.
“She’s a big big horse and she’s quite scary really, we don’t ask her too much at home, we just hold it together and know that it’s their raceday.
“You’re looking for them to sprint, and when she sprints, the acceleration is there. We’re still getting to know her, it’s as simple as that and she’s well into her twilight years. It’s scary, really, how good she is.”
James McDonald spoke post-race and was quick to credit Waller.
“Chris just trains her up beautifully every time,” McDonald said.
“He did it for a Cox Plate, he’s done it for the Queen Elizabeth.
“You could poke holes in her performances coming into today because she hasn’t been winning by big margins, but that’s the type of horse she is now, she only does what she has to.
“She felt like she was going to rip away and then at the furlong she’s just doing enough.
“Very good horse. There was one little worrying moment, I thought the one I was following was going to kick for a gap and he just didn’t go for it and I ended up back off him, but she was superior, once I got those gaps, she sliced through and went bang.”
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