Via Sistina defies track work scare as James McDonald claims his third consecutive Cox Plate: ‘It was a Winx-like performance’
- Trainer Chris Waller is moved to tears
- Comes after four weight-for-age championships with Winx
- Japanese raider and favorite Prognosis relegated to second place
Champion jockey James McDonald has claimed his third successive Cox Plate with a dominant win aboard the Via Sistina at Moonee Valley.
It was McDonald’s 100th win in Group 1 and follows his victories over Romantic Warrior and Anamoe in the past two years.
Trainer Chris Waller was reduced to tears after the race after winning the Australasian weight-for-age championship for the fifth time following his four victories with supermare Winx.
Via Sistina also broke the track record in her eight-length demolition job, recording a time of 2.01.07, breaking Winx’s record in 2017.
āIt’s the stuff of legends,ā Channel 7’s Bruce McAvaney said.
‘This was like Winx, you can’t get better than this… it’s just remarkable.
“That’s as good as it gets.”
Japanese raider and pre-race favorite Prognosis was second, with Godolphin’s Broadsiding third.
James McDonald won his third consecutive Cox Plate after steering Via Sistina to victory
The champion jockey greets the general crowd at Mooney Valley for the 2024 Cox Plate
It comes after Via Sistina was previously involved in a fearsome track, with McDonald fearing his 2024 Cox Plate hopes were dashed after the horse completed 5km without a rider.
āI thought we were doomed,ā McDonald said.
“If looks could tell a story, we’d be full.”
The jockey was also in tears after the race after achieving what he previously thought could be the impossible.
‘I’m just so lucky. What this mare has been through and she is just an absolute star. I feel so lucky to be a part of it,ā McDonald said.
‘I love this race, I love this place. It’s special to win a Cox Plate with Chris Waller, my biggest supporter.
‘I am blessed. So blessed. It was a Winx-like performance. I can’t believe it.’
McDonald also becomes the first jockey to win three consecutive Cox Plates on three different horses.
Earlier, Ben Allen steered Baraqiel to a dominant win in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes.
Trainer Troy Corstens said Baraqiel will head towards the Group 1 Champions Sprint, which will be held in two weeks’ time on the final day of Flemington’s Melbourne Cup carnival.