The Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina ($11.00) has defied a severe drift with horse racing bookmakers to claim the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday afternoon.
After opening as short as $5.50 after the barrier draw on Thursday morning, the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) winner was friendless in the market prior to jumping in the $1 million feature, with most pundits suggesting the 1400m would be short of her best trip.
The race shaped out perfectly for the daughter of Fastnet Rock, with Kerrin McEvoy biding his time towards the rear of the field, as the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Tropical Squall ($9.00) powered across to lead the quality field of 12.
The well-supported Zougotcha ($6.50) was ridden to hold a position outside the leader before putting the foot down turning for home, with Tommy Berry trying to pinch the race aboard the three-time Group 1 winner, as the short-priced favourite Fangirl ($2.50) forced to make a wide run under James McDonald.
Zougotcha seemed to be travelling best in the final 200m, however, it was Via Sistina coming with a withering burst along the inside, with McEvoy able to avoid the traffic as he didn’t go around a horse to claim victory.
2024 Group 1 Winx Stakes Replay – Via Sistina
The win now marks her third Group 1 success across both hemispheres, with this being the first time being tested over the short course trip, leaving the Waller barn to suggest there is still more in store for the impressive seven-year-old.
“Obviously, she’s a very smart horse,” said Waller.
“Privileged to be training horses like her. She’s a pickup addition to the stable. The others are stalwarts and she’s beaten them today, but it’ll be a match race I’m sure in a few weeks time.
“It was a beautiful ride from Kerrin (McEvoy) he didn’t go around a horse, saved ground and had plenty of horse topping the famous Randwick rise, yeah, she was strong all the way to the line.
“Tommy (Zougotcha) put a little bit of work early. I just didn’t want a Pride Of Jenni type race where I could just see Tropical Squall getting away with it in front.
“I just said to Tommy (Berry) just to make sure you’re right there, that’s her normal style of racing, and she traveled beautifully up to the 200m and just got caught on the line.”
Kerrin McEvoy was delighted with the performance and praised his mount for her toughness over the shorter journey.
“Great win, she’s just a winner basically,” said McEvoy.
“I’ve only sat on her once, which was last Saturday, and she was on her own, but she’s just a competitor.
“Chris (Waller) just said look, she’s in really good form. The unknown was 1400m in this grade, and first up.
“Just wanted to let her tell me where she wanted to be. She jumped in the air a little bit and got sort of back and ended up on the rail, inside Fangirl and I just thought, I’ll cut the corner. I thought I’d just make it a little bit easier, rather than James (McDonald) who got shuffled back a little and had to come wide.”
“She really motored the last furlong, so fantastic training effort to see her do that first up at that level, and the world is her oyster this prep now.”
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