Via Sistina (-454.55) has recorded her second straight Group 1 Ranvet Stakes in as many years, with Chris Waller and James McDonald combining for another Group 1 feature at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon.
The star mare was sent around as a long odds-on favourite with Dabble, and even though she took her time to get past her stablemate Lindermann, the Cox Plate winner eventually cleared out and claimed a dominant win.
After being nicknamed the ‘Pride Of Jenni of Canada,’ Full Count Felicia (+1300) led the small field at a strong gallop ahead of Lindermann (+1000), while Golden Path (+3000) tried to hold Via Sistina on the rail.
However, as the tempo lifted around the home turn, McDonald pushed his way off the rail and released the brakes on the eventual winner.
Lindermann quickly took over from the tiring leader, but with McDonald getting everything out of his mare, Via Sistina grabbed the lead at the 150m mark and started to pull clear to win by two lengths.
Fawkner Park (+1300) finished off strongly again to claim third place, but it was all honours to the winner as Via Sistina recorded her seventh Group 1 success in Australia.
Chris Waller was very happy with the victory post-race.
“Well, she lit up our lives, as I said, 12 months ago today. We didn’t know what we had coming out of quarantine, and obviously we had a good article and a good horse to work with. And a very supporting team with Yulong, we were lucky enough to get some support from them,” Waller said.
“So, back to the horse, like she is a star.
“She’s a lovely, big, unassuming horse. But come race day, she really turns it on.
“We don’t dare light her up in the mornings because what she’s capable of, like she’s a real powerhouse.”
“Her track rider, Chris Harwood, said, oh, if we get her flying like one day she might just keep going as we saw. So, yeah, she’s a gentle giant that graces the turf.
Following his fifth win in the Ranvet Stakes, James McDonald spoke post-race.
“She’s well up there that’s for sure. She’s definitely good,” McDonald said of Via Sistina.
“It takes a good one to beat the big boy though but she’s well up there and she turns up each and every time, which I’m so proud of her because if she was going to get beat, it could have been easily a race like this.
“A little bit tricky, but as we’ve seen she’s getting more versatile.
“It felt like it was a mile race. She was really tanking up and hence the beat of sweat, so I’ve earned my money.
“Chris Harwood does a really good job, because as it was well documented, she was supposed to gallop here last Saturday, I wouldn’t have the strength to hold her because she just tanks around so Chris does a good job.
“Same with all the other guys there.
“He’s got a fantastic team there, and they work the horses brilliantly, so they don’t need my help, but it’s nice to be partnering them on race day, and it’s a really good feeling.”
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