Yulong supremo Vin Cox reveals James McDonald said Via Sistina would have won Melbourne Cup by 10 lengths

It is what many of us have probably been thinking, James McDonald says Via Sistina would have won the Melbourne Cup - easily.

There were more than 62,000 people at Flemington on Champions Stakes day, but only a select few heard what James McDonald uttered after Via Sistina’s slashing Group 1 romp.

“When we were leading Via Sistina back in on Saturday, James leaned over to me and said she would have won the Melbourne Cup by 10 lengths,” Yulong general manager Vin Cox told Racenet.

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“He said it right in front of the crowd.

“James might have only said that because he didn’t have a ride in the Melbourne Cup.

“It’s a hypothetical and I don’t deal in hypotheticals.”

It might be a hypothetical but surely few racing fans would question McDonald’s 10 length statement.

• Inside the Chinese dinner that led to Via Sistina bypassing Melbourne Cup

But the Yulong camp, who Racenet has revealed decided over a Chinese restaurant dinner not to deploy Via Sistina in the Melbourne Cup, never second guessed themselves.

When the decision to avoid the Cup was made, it was final.

There were no dissenting voices and no looking back.

Not even after $91 Queensland bolter Knight’s Choice scored one of the biggest shocks in Melbourne Cup history.

Via Sistina leaves her rivals in her wake in the Group 1 Champions Stakes at Flemington last Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

“You make your decisions and move on,” Cox said.

“That’s the way it must be.”

• ‘The progression is incredible’: Yulong’s big dream is coming true

As big a moment as Via Sistina’s Cox Plate and Champions Stakes victories were for Yulong, there was an arguably even more important moment for the boss Yuesheng Zhang last week.

The Yulong founder was tickled pink to win the Group 1 VRC Oaks with Matt Laurie-trained Treasurethe Moment.

Connections are indeed treasuring every moment of their filly’s Oaks triumph after she was part of the crop who survived the floods that hit Nagambie in 2022.

“The Oaks victory for the boss was really a defining moment for him,” Cox said.

“He got as big a kick out of that, if not bigger, than the other successes we have had.

“She is a home-bred and she was raised at the farm and she is by one of our stallions.

“She was rescued from the floods and there is a pretty good story around her.”

Originally published as Yulong supremo Vin Cox reveals James McDonald said Via Sistina would have won Melbourne Cup by 10 lengths