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In a fitting finish to the final ever Ladbrokes Cox Plate run at The Valley track as we know it, Chris Waller‘s reigning queen Via Sistina etched her name in racing history digging deep to hold off her stablemate Buckaroo in a thrilling finish to the 105th edition of the Australasian weight-for-age classic.
She may have won last year’s race by eight lengths but this year the now eight-year-old Fasnet Rock mare and reining Australian Racehorse of the Year had to pull out all the stops to narrowly salute for the punters and go back-to-back in the Group 1 $6 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) to close the last Moonee Valley race card before the track closed for a major redevelopment.
While no denying the boom mare hasn’t been in the same scintillating form as last spring, Via was still too classy and was able to just nudge out the fellow Waller runner Buckaroo who ran out of his skin for second in a devastatingly photo finish in front of a roaring crowd.
“I know she hasn’t won her last two runs, but all the data suggests she’s flying and once they set those benchmarks, providing the horse is healthy and well, you know they’re going to get somewhere close to it,” Waller told Racing.com.
“There’s been a few of those ‘don’t panic, don’t change anything, don’t think about anything’ (moments); let the horses do the talking.
“She had a lovely run. Attrition (who eventually ran fourth), I thought, was the winner at the 200 (metre mark).
“She had to dig deep. I know she can and she did.”
Matt Laurie‘s outstanding young four-year-old mare and VRC Oaks – Australian Oaks double winner Treasurethe Moment ran third to complete the Cox Plate trifecta.
“She was super,” jockey Damian Lane said of Treasurethe Moment.
“Very proud of the horse, proud of Matty and his team for getting her back to where she is today.
“Just unfortunately Nepotism was put into the race early and forced my hand, I had to ask for her a bit earlier than what was ideal and she obviously put a good margin on them on the corner, but that early move had a toll late, so she did a great job.”
Via Sistina was again ridden by master hoop James McDonald but had plenty of work to do late after finding herself worse than midfield in the run.
She was forced to race wide around the turn but showed her trademark determination chasing down Treasurethe Moment, who had taken the lead with 400m to go.
Buckaroo loomed large in the final strides, but Via Sistina held on in a heart-stopping finish pulling just clear to win by a half-head to become the first dual champion since the four-peat of Winx (2016-18).
“It was a great race,” an emotional Waller told Channel 7 post-race.
“A classic Cox Plate.
“James had to get going early and everyone could see him.
“He was five wide turning for home. She was great and Treasurethe Moment was awesome and gave it something to chase.
“And Buckaroo that was… I’m glad Via won and Buckaroo, he’s run out of his skin.”
Buckaroo’s jockey Mark Zahra described the runner-up’s performance as “courageous”.
“He was courageous, followed the winner everywhere but I just never got in front at any stage,” Zhara said.
“She just finds a head the minute you come up to her. She’s a good mare but he ran well.”
Waller celebrated his sixth Cox Plate success while McDonald rose the Cox Plate silverware for the fourth time in his glittering career in the saddle to equal Hugh Bowman who partnered Winx for all four of her victories for the same stable.
“First one was special, these are bonuses,” Waller said of adding to his Cox Plate trophy collection.
Waller went on to describe the relationship between Via Sistina and McDonald as something special.
“It’s confidence. James works months on this,” he said.
“He’s loyal, so dedicated. He’s only had eyes for Via Sistina and set everything at this race for her and Buckaroo almost undid it!”
The victory capped off a remarkable spring for the Via Sistina, who now joins the likes of Winx, Flight, and Sunline as mares to win multiple Cox Plates.
“It was a sensational feeling. It was funny because she began well. I thought, ‘this is beautiful’. I thought I was in a great spot,” McDonald said describing the ride.
“Zac Lloyd (on Nepotism) was jostling for a position. Came back, she raced a little bit keen for a bit but her incredible will to win shone through there and she’s a champion racehorse.
“I’m so proud of her. She deserved to be in the same breath as Sunline and those sort of horses with two Cox Plates.
“You know what? I’m just rapt that it was a proper run Cox Plate. That’s what Cox Plates are all about. Best horse shone through, and she deserves all she gets.
“It’s going to be sad next year (not at Moonee Valley) but in saying that the Cox Plate is still on and it is going to be run and won.
“I just hope I’m on as good a mare as I was today to ride in the race next year.
“Just so many sentimental things. Last Valley under this circumference, four-in-a-row, three champion racehorses. God I’m blessed. I’m so lucky.
“I’m proud of everyone that’s helped me out along the way.”
Via Sistina’s win solidifies her status as one of the modern greats of Australian racing.
While the Group 1 $10 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4 has been ruled out for Via Sistina, Buckaroo could still contest the two-mile classic.
He has firmed in from $26 to $11 in the latest Melbourne Cup 2025 odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on the back of his game Cox Plate effort.
Via Sistina is likely to race on during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and defend her title in the Group 1 $3 million Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 8.
She is into $1.70 odds-on favouritism in futures 2025 Champions Stakes betting.
Ladbrokes Cox Plate 2025 Results
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1st
6. Via Sistina (5)
J: James McDonald 57kg
T: Chris Waller |
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2nd
4. Buckaroo (4)
J: Mark Zahra 59kg
T: Chris Waller |
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3rd
7. Treasurethe Moment (1)
J: Damian Lane 55.5kg
T: Matt Laurie |
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4th
3. Attrition (2)
J: Craig Williams 59kg
T: Mitchell Freedman |
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5th
1. Light Infantry Man (8)
J: Ethan Brown 59kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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6th
8. Aeliana (7)
J: Hugh Bowman 55.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
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7th
9. Nepotism (3)
J: Zac Lloyd 49.5kg
T: M, W & J Hawkes |
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8th
2. Antino (6)
J: Blake Shinn 59kg
T: Tony Gollan |
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