• Top 2 – No. 6 Via Sistina
• Top 2 – No. 7 Treasurethe Moment
• Top 4 – No. 9 Nepotism 

VIA SISTINA (5) is the queen bee and there’s every chance the defending champ will go back-to-back. She’s out of odds-on territory having lost her last two on the trot – the first time the reigning Australian Racehorse of the Year has suffered successive losses since arriving down under. An emphatic eight-length hero in this event 12 months ago, she remains the class horse in the field and her record speaks for itself. She’s at her pet distance (16:9-4-1), is proven at Moonee Valley and was absolutely airborne in her track gallop this week. She broke the clock in 2024 on the back of a Turnbull Stakes win but wasn’t able to win that lead-up this time round when third to Sir Delius. The Turnbull remains the superior form line to follow, Waller is a master of timing his horses to peak in their grand finals, and if she gets anywhere near her best, she’ll leave the rest chasing shadows.

TREASURETHE MOMENT (1) was terrific value earlier in the week around $9 but has been smashed into $5.50 at time of publish after the withdrawal of Globe and the likelihood Matt Laurie’s VRC Oaks – Australian Oaks double winning mare will now take up the position of front runner. She was a revelation last season, stringing together eight straight wins before making that nine on the trot when stamping herself as a rising star with a dominant Memsie Stakes victory first-up. While her recent defeats in the Feehan and Might And Power were inconclusive due to small fields and muddling tempos, Laurie remains bullish, noting her strong work at Mornington and sound recovery. She’ll get all the favours from the inside alley and Damian Lane sticks with. She has shown nothing but top-grade ability all along, has an explosive turn of foot when required and a return to a genuinely run race could see her deliver a career-defining performance at The Valley.

NEPOTISM (3) has the ability to produce something special and run Top 4 against the older horses at WFA this weekend at a price. The Hawkes Racing trained Brutal colt is a proven Group 1 winner having claimed the Champagne Stakes over the Randwick mile as a two-year-old and, while his three-year-old form this prep hasn’t been as solid as hoped, he is one who I think has enough upside to surprise going up in trip. At his latest he was luckless running ninth with excuses in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas. Plummets in the kilos from 57kg to just 49.5kg and gets the in-form Zac Lloyd jumping on in another plus. Three-year-olds have a great overall record in the Cox Plate and look, I’m not saying he can win but he can outrun his price.