Fantastic five: Cox Plate champion Via Sistina or not, trainer Chris Waller boasts strong Melbourne Cup hand

Cox Plate champion Via Sistina has presented master trainer Chris Waller a more palatable predicament eight days out from the Melbourne Cup compared to an emotional rollercoaster last week.

Cox Plate champion Via Sistina has presented Chris Waller a more palatable predicament eight days out from the Melbourne Cup compared to an emotional rollercoaster last week.

Waller has an ominous Cup squad already in train, with “top seeds” — before a Winx-like eight-length Via Sistina Cox Plate romp — Buckaroo and Land Legend definitely aimed at Flemington.

Kovalica, sixth in the Cox Plate last Saturday, and Valiant King are also slated for the race that stops a nation on November 5.

Via Sistina, $5 favourite with Ladbrokes for the Melbourne Cup after the Cox Plate, remains a question mark.

The seven-year-old mare is notionally third in the Order Of Entry — following the withdrawal of Point King last Saturday — with 56kg.

Champion jockey James McDonald would be available to ride Via Sistina at Flemington should Waller and owner Yulong decide to head that way.

Waller has deferred Via Sistina decisions until after her “recovery” routine.

Via Sistina waded in the water at Altona Beach on Sunday.

Speaking before the Cox Plate, Waller wanted Via Sistina to be “finishing off really well” to be considered for a Melbourne Cup tilt after the well-documented trackwork incident last Tuesday.

Saturday’s Winx-like eight-length demolition certainly ticked that box.

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Waller won the 2021 Melbourne Cup with Verry Elleegant after the champion mare finished third in the Cox Plate.

Gold Trip, trained by Ciaron Maher, was unplaced in the Cox Plate before he won the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

“I wouldn’t have said Verry Elleegant was definitely running in the Melbourne Cup and she won the Melbourne Cup after running third in the Cox Plate,” Waller said last Friday.

“It’s hard to predict but when you see the race, things work out a bit differently in your mind, to see her finishing off really well, get positive reports from James and then work out what else have we got in line for next preparation.”

Waller is in a strong position either way, with four of the top 10 in Melbourne Cup betting including second favourite Buckaroo ($7), Land Legend ($21) and Kovalica ($34).

READ: ‘She won like Winx’: J-Mac claims 100th Group 1 in record Cox Plate triumph

Valiant King, a $51 outsider, is also safely inside the top 24 in the Order Of Entry.

“Probably a similar profile to Sheraz last year (third in Cup). At two miles he’s going to excel,” Waller said.

Up to five starters in the Cup all with genuine chances is a welcome result after the tragic loss of Riff Rocket last month to colic.

“You just hope then you got one or two that could turn up,” Waller said.

“We’ve ended up with that one or two and possibly a few more, so I’m really happy.

“Top two seeds, Buckaroo, you can’t have any better form going into a Melbourne Cup, and Land Legend, ran third in the Caulfield Cup.

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“If we can get him (Land Legend) to back off and relax he’ll run two miles, he’s by Galileo.

“We want as many horses as we can there (Cup), provided they’re going to be competitive.”

Buckaroo and Land Legend returned to Waller’s Flemington stable last week after being trained out of Macedon Lodge.

“Buckaroo was fantastic (Caulfield Cup runner-up) and looking forward to the Melbourne Cup with him,” Waller said.

READ: Trainer: Prognosis was beaten by ‘freak’

“We queried whether he’d run a strong 2400m before the Caulfield Cup and he ran through the line better than anything and he’s so well weighted (54.5kg).

“Land Legend was very keen in the Caulfield Cup, we just have to try and get that freshness out of him and a bit of more work will be a help to that.

“He’s been powering up the hill at Macedon and he’s back to Flemington now and doing a couple of solid rounds each morning.”

Buckaroo and Land Legend will gallop at Breakfast with the Stars at Flemington on Tuesday.

Originally published as Fantastic five: Cox Plate champion Via Sistina or not, trainer Chris Waller boasts strong Melbourne Cup hand