The Championships Day 2: Via Sistina joins Winx with seventh Group 1 in memorable Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph

Via Sistina now sits alongside champion mare Winx in the history books with her victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes that will seal Horse of the Year honours.

James McDonald riding Via Sistina claimed her seventh Group 1 victory of the season in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Via Sistina scored her seventh Group 1 win of the season, secured Horse of the Year and earned champion status – all in just a tick over two minutes.

Chris Waller’s super mare waited for her final start of the season for her crowning glory in the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

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Her win might not have been as spectacular as her eight-length Cox Plate romp but it was every bit as good for very different reasons.

Via Sistina’s inside barrier posed problems for jockey James McDonald with the mare bottled up on the rail during the race but both horse and rider were up to the challenge.

McDonald was able to navigate a path through the field around the home and Via Sistina raced into history.

Her Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller was asked what he was thinking at the halfway point of the race when the mare was in an awkward position back near last.

“Not to panic, simpler that,’’ Waller said.

“We have got James (McDonald) on board, he is so cool in those situations.

“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.

“Then, when you are looking for them to sprint, her acceleration was there. I think we were all inspired by it.’’

The champ Via Sistina claims the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes with ease, equalling Winx's record of 7 Group 1's in a season! 🤩 What a mare!@cwallerracing | @mcacajamez | @YulongInvest | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/oMBNGpAyv8

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025

• What the jockeys said: 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Via Sistina ($2 favourite) sprinted brilliantly to score a famous win by nearly two lengths from English raider Dubai Honour ($8) with Tom Kitten ($15) three-quarters of a length away third.

The mighty mare ran the 2000m in a 2min 0.41sec, a new race record and just a tick outside the longstanding course record of 2mim 0.30sec that Hampton Court ran in 2014.

The records didn’t stop there and included:

• Via Sistina equalled Winx’s record of seven Group 1 wins in a season.

• Chris Waller has now trained since Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners featuring Winx’s hat-trick in 2017-18-19.

• Via Sistina became the 17th horse to break the $10m prizemoney barrier and took her overall earnings to $12,779,047 to be ninth on all all-time list behind Winx with $26,451,174.

• Owners Yulong secured a Group 1 double after their filly Treasurethe Moment won the ATC Australian Oaks.

McDonald’s magical ride – probably only bettered by his own effort on Fangirl in the Queen of the Turf Stakes – admitted to “one little worrying moment” coming to the home turn.

“I thought the one I was following (Geoglyph) was going to kick for a gap and he just didn’t go for it and I ended up having to back off him,’’ McDonald said.

“But he was so superior. Once I got those gaps, she sliced through and went bang.

“Chris just trains her up beautifully every time, he did it for a Cox Plate, he’s done it again 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. She’s just a very good horse.’’

James McDonald produced a gem of a ride on Via Sistina to win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

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Tom Marquand, rider of Dubai Honour, said the gelding ran “a huge race in defeat”.

“We were beaten by a very good mare but he had a horrible run,’’ Marquand said.

“Whether it would have been enough to turn it around I don’t know.’’

Godolphin’s Tom Kitten ran bravely to finish a close third in what jockey Ben Melham described as a “tremendous effort”.

“I was thrilled with his run, he’s run right out of his skin and been beaten a short margin by some superstars,’’ Melham said.

Via Sistina ends the 2024-25 season with seven wins, all at Group 1 level, from nine starts.

She is a certainty to be voted Horse of the Year after her wins in the Winx Stakes (1400m), Turnbull Stakes (2000m), Cox Plate (2040m), Champions Stakes (2000m), Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m), Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Since the Group and Listed race classification system was introduced in 1978, the only other horse to win seven Group 1 races was Waller’s mighty mare, Winx in 2018-19.

“Via Sistina has done an amazing job,’’ Waller said.

“She had to fight hard today against a world-class field.

“She needed to get out but James got her out in plenty of time then I was a little concerned when Dubai Honour launched at us.

“William Haggas always gets it right as he did in the Tancred with Dubai Honour and he was making a strong run.

“But I thought with Dubai Honour coming back from 2400m we could out sprint him. The last 100m was a bit of a concern. But apart from that, it was a faultless run.’’

Via Sistina was a Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner in Ireland before joining Waller’s stable in March last year.

The daughter of Australian sire Fastnet Rock has now had 11 starts for Waller, winning eight races, all at Group 1 level.

“She’s a big horse and she’s quite scary really because we don’t ask her too much at home. We just hold her together and know that it’s there on race day,’’ Waller said.

“But we’re still getting to know her. She is well into her twilight years but it’s scary really, how good she is.’’

Originally published as The Championships Day 2: Via Sistina joins Winx with seventh Group 1 in memorable Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph