Cometh the hour, cometh Via Sistina.
The champion mare was maligned through the middle stages of the spring. Punters left to wonder exactly where she was at after consecutive defeats in the Makybe Diva and Turnbull Stakes.
But, come the Grand Finals, Via Sistina stepped up to the plate. For the second year in a row she completed the Cox Plate-Champions Stakes double, powering away from her rivals in the slop to win comfortably.
The star of the turf shines again 🤩
VIA SISTINA wins the @tabcomau Champion Stakes to record her 12th Group 1 victory.
🎥 @wwos | #StakesDay | #MelbCupCarnival pic.twitter.com/9zrspiFxwB
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 8, 2025
Waller revealed that jockey James McDonald was brimming with confidence heading into the race.
“He said ‘I’ll go and ride her like Hughie used to ride Winx’, best horse in the race, give her some clean air, and I said, ‘that sounds good to me’,” Waller said post-race.
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s emerging middle distance gelding Zambardo stuck on gamely to run second.
Specked at odds throughout betting, Zambardo will have done plenty of damage to his handicap rating of 78, but that won’t worry connections who have a Group 1 placing to celebrate and $540,000 in prizemoney to help fund the party.
Both Chris Waller and James McDonald are champions, together this was their 50th Group 1.
Typically emotional post-race, Waller paid tribute to J-Mac.
“It is an honour to be working with him,” said Waller.
“It makes my job and possibly his job that little bit easier. There’s no pressure, no pre-race stress, and I didn’t even give any instructions.”
“I’d go to war with him and he’d do the same for me.”
McDonald returned the sentiments: “That’s very special and I feel the same for him.”
“He’s had my back from day dot and continuously has my back. We work wonderfully together and he’s an absolute genius. I can’t put into words how good he is.”
McDoanld paid tribute to his wonder mare, “she sits alongside some of the greats that have ever graced our racetracks.”
