Buckaroo regains Melbourne Cup favouritism with doubts over Via Sistina

The Melbourne Cup market has dramatically changed with Cox Plate winner Via Sistina a doubtful starter as another contender was withdrawn.

Group 1 winner Buckaroo, the Caulfield Cup runner-up, has returned to the top of Melbourne Cup markets with doubt on Cox Plate champion Via Sistina taking her place in the race that stops a nation.

Buckaroo, who worked nicely at Flemington on Tuesday morning, has firmed $6 into $5 with Ladbrokes for the Cup, while Via Sistina eased $5.50 to $8.

The withdrawal of Jan Brueghel cut the prices of Geelong Cup winner Onesmoothoperator ($8-$6.50), Vauban ($9-$7) and Land Legend ($21-13).

Land Legend, also trained by Chris Waller, like Buckaroo and Via Sistina, only cantered around Flemington with a course proper gallop lined up at Bendigo on Wednesday.

Waller on Tuesday morning said “no decisions” had been made yet on Via Sistina running in the Melbourne Cup.

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The Cox Plate heroine has options at Flemington, including the Champions Stakes (2000m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival or the Hong Kong Cup in December.

“We’ll make sure the process is done right and everybody is informed,” Waller said.

“We wouldn’t make people hang out … as soon as the decision is made we’ll let everybody know, it’s obviously only a couple of days after the race (Cox Plate), just a bit early yet.

“A few more days, later in the week.”

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Via Sistina will return to Waller’s Flemington stable on Wednesday after a couple of days at Macedon Lodge.

Buckaroo, Land Legend and Valiant King all worked at Flemington on Tuesday.

Waller conceded the 3200m distance remained a query for Buckaroo, who has “gone to a new level”.

“The 3200m distance is a new challenge for a lot of horses, including Buckaroo but certainly he’s going into the race well prepared,” Waller said.

“Of course we have a query on the distance but all we can do is prepare him as best we can, all the indications are he’ll run two miles.

“He ran through the line in the Caulfield Cup really well, that was 2400m and he came from a long way back.”

Buckaroo (left), second in the Turnbull Stakes behind Via Sistina, is back on top of Melbourne Cup markets with his stablemate unlikely to run. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Jockey Damian Lane has been booked to ride Kovalica for Waller in the Cup.

Hong Kong-based Australian star jockey Zac Purton rode Land Legend in the Caulfield Cup on the provision he would retain the ride on the first Tuesday in November.

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Joao Moreira has ridden Buckaroo the past three starts for a Group 1 Underwood Stakes success and runners-up finishes in the Turnbull Stakes and Caulfield Cup.

“We’re still going through the riders, but I don’t think there’s too many changes,” Waller said.

Kovalica has been popular in early markets, $26 into $15 with Ladbrokes, along with Just Fine, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, $81 into $51.

“In a deep race the punters look to be gravitating to runners at a price,” a Ladbrokes spokesperson said.

Originally published as Buckaroo regains Melbourne Cup favouritism with doubts over Via Sistina