Saturday summary: 'How did Hugh do it?!' Via digs deep in back-to-back Cox Plates

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Via Sistina goes back-to-back in 'proper-run Cox Plate' at Valley's grand finale

Last year James McDonald stood in the irons approaching the line in the G1 Cox Plate as his mount Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) surged to an astonishing eighth-length victory. This year, the Moonee Valley crowd had their hearts in their mouths as the returning champion rounded the corner out wide, fighting to get past Nepotism (Brutal {NZ}) and Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) to defend her crown. But it wouldn’t be a fitting swan song for the Valley before its reconstruction without that height of drama.

For fleeting seconds as the pack straightened, it appeared that fellow Yulong-owned Treasurethe Moment might hang on to her lead before Yulong’s mightier mare clawed her way to the front - only to be challenged by stablemate Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock). The pair duelled over the Plate’s closing furlong and McDonald was afforded no early moment of celebration until Via Sistina thrust her head in front as they crossed the line.

It was a fourth-straight win in the race for McDonald, who steered Anamoe and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) to victory in the years preceding his partnership with Via Sistina, and a sixth win in the race for trainer Chris Waller. The first four wins, of course, came courtesy of Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).

“I'm blessed to ride champion racehorses, blessed to be a part of a champion stable, and she was trained to the minute,” McDonald said. “It was a sensational feeling. It was funny because she began well, I thought, ‘this is beautiful'.

“I thought I was in a great spot. Zac Lloyd (on Neopitism) was jostling for a position. (We) came back, she raced a little bit keen for a bit, but her incredible will to win shone through there and she's a champion racehorse.

"I'm so proud of her. She deserved to be in the same breath as Sunline and those sorts of horses with two Cox Plates. You know what? I'm just rapt that it was a proper-run Cox Plate. That's what Cox Plates are all about. The best horse shone through and she deserves all she gets."

When asked about the pressure he felt returning to defeat Via Sistina’s crown, McDonald could only draw a comparison to what Hugh Bowman must have felt returning year after year with Winx, saying, “how did Hugh do it?”

Waller is of course no stranger to pressure, and while he must have felt it, he expressed he had always had such great confidence in his current champion.

“I know she hasn’t won her last two runs, but all the data suggests she’s flying and once they set those benchmarks, providing the horse is healthy and well, you know they’re going to get somewhere close to it,” he said.

“There’s been a few of those ‘don’t panic, don’t change anything, don’t think about anything’ (moments). Let the horses do the talking. She had a lovely run. Attrition, I thought, was the winner at the 200 (metre mark). She had to dig deep. I know she can and she did.”

Sales: Yulong have spent a collective $6.93 million to acquire Via Sistina, her dam Nigh (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and her half-sister Via Sienna (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), which pales in comparison to Via Sistina’s earnings of over $17 million to date.

Pedigree: Via Sistina is the standout child of her unraced dam Nigh, who is a half-sister to Britain’s Champion 3YO Sprinter Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil {USA}). Nigh produced a colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) in 2024 as her most recent documented foal.

Stefi Magnetica descends from the clouds to win Invitation

When the pack rounded the home turn, you could be forgiven for being unable to spot Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) in the $2 million The Invitation, shuffled so far back and so far wide as she was.

But Bjorn Baker’s talented mare has two Group 1 wins for a reason, and she reminded her rivals of that within the final furlong, being sent forth strongly by Jason Collett to seize victory Gerringong (Blue Point {Ire}) by a long neck, with Gangsta Granny (Written Tycoon) rallying hard for third.

"I thought, if we didn't have this setback, the King Charles last week was the ideal race for her," Baker said. "I didn't have any confidence coming in today off a little bit of a setback, and she was great."

The win for a relief for Baker after what has been a somewhat frustrating spring carnival.

"I can't win a race during this carnival. I've had seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, so it's a big relief. I had Overpass run a gallant fourth last week (in The Everest). It's hard to win races this time of year, you need a very special horse and a special team behind you, and I'm lucky to have both."

Sales: Cunningham Thoroughbreds, Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA), and Bjorn Baker Racing combined to pay $140,000 for Stefi Magnetica when offered by Cressfield at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Stefi Magnetica has emulated her 11-time winning mother Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force) by winning the G1 Stradbroke Handicap. She is one of three stakes performers for her dam, alongside Group 3-winning Hellfest (Hellbent) and multiple stakes-placed Euphoric Summer (Fastnet Rock). Mid Summer Music unfortunately passed away in 2024 after delivering a full brother to Stefi Magnetica.

Von Hauke spreads wings in Crystal Mile

Lightly raced 6-year-old Von Hauke (NZ) (Savabeel) notched up a second career stakes win on Saturday when taking out the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley for trainer Cliff Brown. The gelding led home a Kiwi-bred trifecta in the 1600-metre event, scoring by a length over fellow 6-year-old Golden Path (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) in his first win since last year's G3 Shaftesbury Avenue Stakes.

"He's a nice horse and he's racing really tractably at the moment," Brown said. "I think you can see how well he was traveling (in the race) as Ethan (Brown) hadn't moved and he just had to wait for the breaks. He was very good. He just needed the breaks and we got them.”

Owned by Barree Pastoral and Imperial Racing Stable, Von Hauke appreciated the step up in distance after looming large in the 1400-metre Listed Paris Lane Stakes last start where he finished third, beaten by just over half a length.

"I think he's really matured and everyone at home has done a great job with him,” the trainer added. "I've also got to say a special thanks to Mariah Kaninski as he goes to her place and does a lot of dressage work between races."

Sales: Cliff Brown Racing paid $190,000 for the son of Savabeel at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds.

Pedigree: Von Hauke is the most accomplished of four winners out of metropolitan-winning Tiara (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}). She is a granddaughter of G1 Auckland Cup winner Royal Tiara (NZ) (Blanco {USA}), and is due to deliver a foal by Noverre (NZ) this spring. The upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale features a half-brother to Von Hauke by Tivaci as lot 159.

Jigsaw puts today 11th win in McEwen Stakes

Veteran galloper Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) was on top form in the G1 McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday, producing an electric performance to win by a length and three quarters over Klabel (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}). The 7-year-old Cindy Alderson trainee was coming off of chalking up his 10th win in a Cranbourne handicap a fortnight ago.

The five-time stakes winner has had an affinity with the Valley, winning the G2 Australia Stakes two years ago and making two of his three Group 1 starts on the track. Alderson will now aim the gelding at the $1 million The Meteorite on November 22.

"I only came here to get that ticket," Alderson said. "He's always been a funny little horse. He always has his seasons, and I did ride him before he won at Cranbourne and I thought I have not felt this horse like this ever. Normally I wouldn't back him up, but (luckily) I did today."

Sales: Jigsaw is a homebred for his trainer’s family.

Pedigree: Jigsaw is the second stakes performer from metropolitan-winning Lonhro mare Demandz, who has also produced Listed Tasmanian Oaks runner-up Queen Adele (Adelaide). This is the extended family of dual Group 1 winner Stefi Magnetica through shared ancestress Black Satin (Ire) (Linacre {Ire}).

Lindermann gives Lonhro a stakes double

Lonhro, who died in 2024, enjoyed a stakes double at Randwick on Saturday with talented 3-year-old colt Attica winning the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and his ever-consistent son Lindermann adding the G3 Craven Stakes to his collections.

Lindermann has been one of the finds of the spring, and on Saturday at Randwick he made it three wins from five starts this campaign for owner Woppitt Bloodstock and trainer Chris Waller. Resuming in the G1 Winx Stakes this campaign, the 6-year-old gelding won the G2 Hill Stakes last start, was second in the 7 Stakes, and won the G2 Chelmsford Stakes prior to that.

“It's full credit to the horse, he's had a magnificent preparation,” jockey Nash Rawiller said.

“He tricks me sometimes because he's got such a big loafing long action that they think, 'Nash is getting away with this', but he's running the times. The clock doesn't lie. I believe he would have been hard to beat in the Cox Plate, but he could go out now and return full of confidence in the autumn.

“If we get these dry tracks in autumn, he can come back and be the ‘kingpin'. He would be right in a race like the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.”

Sales: A homebred for Woppitt Bloodstock, Lindermann took his earnings over $4 million with his eighth career victory.

Pedigree: Lindermann is the most talented offspring from Listed-placed city winner Self Esteem (Stratum), who is closely related to G3 Red Roses Stakes winner Aitch Two Oh (Headwater). Self Esteem has a yearling filly by Pierro to come, and missed last season.