The season’s leading middle-distance gallopers get together in Sydney this Saturday with a key Cox Plate lead-up taking place at Flemington, and the Races.com.au team has the expert 2025 Turnbull Stakes tips and best bets right here.
Via Sistina is favourite to return to winning form in Saturday’s 2025 Turnbull Stakes at HQ. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
There are 14 top liners making up the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) field with the defending champion Via Sistina heading the markets at $2.60 through Ladbrokes to go back-to-back for the first time since the stable’s former superstar Winx (2017-18).
So, will Via Sistina be able to bounce back from her Makybe Diva Stakes loss and head into her Ladbrokes Cox Plate title defence a dual Turnbull winner?
Will her up-and-coming stablemate Aeliana put her hand up as the queen of the turf in waiting?
Can the Underwood Stakes winning import Sir Delius complete a Group 1 double?
Or is there an upset pending from something further down the markets like the emphatic Naturalism Stakes winner Half Yours?
We have to wait until the Turnbull runs as Flemington Race 8 at 4:25pm (AEST) on Saturday.
In the meantime, check out our Same Race Multi selections for the set weights plus penalties event below.
2025 Turnbull Stakes Same Race Multi Selections ($21 at time of publish)
To Win – No. 4 Via Sistina
Top 3 – No. 7 Aeliana
Top 4 – No. 10 Golden Path
VIA SISTINA (1) is the defending champion and, even though she comes off a loss when third second-up in the Makybe Diva Stakes here at HQ, I believe she’ll bounce back and return to winning form to secure back-to-back wins. She’s a 10-time Group 1 winner, reigning Australian Racecourse of the Year and the class runner in this field. Last spring she won the Winx, was beaten in the Makybe Diva and then beat Buckaroo home in this event ahead of her eight-length Cox Plate demolition job. She’s on the same path and history should repeat. Rails draw and J-Mac in the saddle, this evergreen eight-year-old will be peaking getting back to her pet 2000m trip now. The pace worked against her last time out, but she’s got the extra ground to fly home from midfield and put them to bed to remain unbeaten at the track and trip.
AELIANA (5) is the gun young stablemate to the favourite looking to put her hand up as the next mighty mare for team Waller. She was enormous as a 3YO filly beating the boys by five lengths in the ATC Derby and has been equally strong this time in over less ground finding her feet as a four-year-old. She comes via the same two lead-ups as Via having run second in both the Winx and Makybe Diva in two excellent runs. Meets Via better in the weights, will relish the 2000m and presents as a genuine Each Way danger now fit and ready to fire.
GOLDEN PATH (3) looks one of the best of the roughie hopes to add some value in SRM selections. No doubt this is a tough test for the in form six-year-old, but he’s doing things right this prep and ticks a few boxes. Randwick record is good with two wins from three goes at the track and his 2000m strike-rate is also strong enough to suggest he’ll run well. Was eye-catching third in the Underwood behind Sir Delius sticking with the task well to cross just a half-length off the winner over 1800m at similar underrated price. Rock-hard fit now, at the SW+P he comes back to 55kg putting him in the frame.
Flemington R8 – Tab Turnbull Stakes (G1)
FinalRace time:
3rd
4. Via Sistina (1)
57kg11×13
J: James McDonaldT: Chris Waller
2.60WIN
1.30PLACE
5th
7. Aeliana (5)
55kg21×22
J: Damian LaneT: Chris Waller
3.80WIN
1.60PLACE
13th
10. Golden Path (3)
55kg5×313
J: Jordan ChildsT: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
18.00WIN
4.20PLACE
For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 31/10/2026 12:16:43 AM (Australia/Brisbane)
For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 31/10/2026 12:16:43 AM (Australia/Brisbane)
