It’s an Honour: Why history is against Via Sistina in the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday
A familiar nemesis is standing in the way of yet another Australian Horse of the Year-elect claiming a crowning glory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
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Via Sistina needs to avoid history repeating itself to crown her sensational season by winning the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
But standing between champion mare Via Sistina and a seventh Group 1 win for 2024-25 is a familiar nemesis – English trainer William Haggas and Dubai Honour.
Twice in recent years, Haggas has prevented Australia’s Horse of the Year-elect ending the season with a Queen Elizabeth Stakes success.
In 2021, the Haggas-trained Addeybb defeated Verry Elleegant in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes then Dubai Honour upset Anamoe two years ago.
Despite those losses, Verry Elleegant and Anamoe were later voted Horse of the Year.
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Yulong’s Vin Cox has been in this scenario before. He was at Godolphin when Anamoe was trying to equal Winx’s record of seven Group 1 wins in a season but could finish only third behind Dubai Honour.
“It is very rarefied air,’’ Cox said of Via Sistina’s attempt to win a seventh Group 1 race for the season.
“Winx has been the benchmark so to be challenging her record for most Group 1 wins in a season is quite staggering. It is very exciting.’’
Via Sistina has been so dominant this season she is the $1.65 TAB Fixed Odds favourite for Saturday’s showpiece race ahead of Dubai Honour at $4.50 and Ceolwulf at $8.
It's a matter of honour! ðŸ‘@WilliamHaggas and @TomMarquand do it again with Dubai Honour who pops another Australian G1 on his shelf with a win in the Tancred Stakes!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/QcLkKmaUdL
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 1, 2025
• Queen Elizabeth Stakes win would put Via Sistina ‘in the Hall Of Fame conversation’
The trio go into Saturday’s weight-for-age showdown as last start winners – Via Sistina won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes, Dubai Honour claimed the Group 1 Tancred Stakes and Ceolwulf scored a tough win in the Group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes.
Joe Pride, trainer of Ceolwulf, said his stable star will be at his peak for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“I weighed Ceolwulf (Sunday) and he’s 516kg, so he’s lost 6kg since Rosehill. I’m very happy with him going into Saturday’s race,’’ Pride said.
Bjorn Baker, trainer of Doncaster Mile winner Stefi Magnetica, has revealed she could back-up at Randwick on Saturday but he won’t ask the mare to stretch her brilliance to 2000m for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Stradbroke winner Stefi Magnetica reigns supreme in the G1 Doncaster Mile, as @BBakerRacing and Jason Collett celebrate another success ! 🙌@aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/13Mkg5tEdS
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025
• Awesome foursome: Ray Thomas’s full preview for four Group 1s on Day 2 of The Championships
Instead, Stefi Magnetica could stay at a “mile’’ for the Group 1 $1 million Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m), a weight-for-age race for fillies and mares.
“I’m looking at the Queen of the Turf Stakes for ‘Stefi’, but I just want to see how she is over the next day or two,’’ Baker said.
“If I think she needs a bit of extra time we can come back to 1400m for the All Aged Stakes (Group 1, $1.5 million, Randwick, April 19).’’
Baker did confirm his tough stayer Arapaho would take his place in the Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) on Saturday.
Arapaho comes off a fourth placing in the Tancred Stakes and is likely to carry the number one saddlecloth in the Cup with 56kg.
Baker also confirmed his classy filly Within The Law had emerged unscathed after her Golden Slipper fall and would line up in the Group 2 $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m).
Originally published as It’s an Honour: Why history is against Via Sistina in the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday
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