With the horse racing season coming to a close, the good racing begins and with that, the door for 2024/25 will be properly shut. Looking back, it was a great year of racing, particularly with some outstanding wins right across the year.
Down below is what we feel are the 10 best wins of 2024/25 season.
1: Via Sistina – Cox Plate: I was one that had doubts on her at a strong 2040m, especially in a race stacked with class/quality, headlined by Japanese star Prognosis, who pushed 2023 Cox Plate hero Romantic Hero all the way in Hong Kong. The week started off terribly for Via Sistina, dumping James McDonald on the Tuesday morning beforehand and doing a lap of the track at a good speed. Many had penned her after that, but the genius of Chris Waller and his stable came to the fore, taking her back to the track later in the week to make sure her last experience for the race was a good one.
The race was run at a blistering tempo, with Pride Of Jenni doing her thing in front and rolling along with purpose, with Prognosis surprisingly up on speed vs sitting back like normal. 600m out, he looked the winner when he was putting away Jenni but when you looked back, you could see J Mac on Via Sistina absolutely trucking and once he pushed the button, the mare put pay to the field and won with such arrogance it can be compared to the greats aka Winx, Sunline, Dulcify. Track record smashed and did it being eased down the final 100m. Stunning win.
What a performance! Via Sistina lands the Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley for @mcacajamez and @cwallerracing… pic.twitter.com/fQxl8QFces
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 26, 2024
2: Antino – Toorak Handicap: Another that goes into the visually incredible file. Dragged back to last from the gate and hot favourite Another Wil had front end control. Blake Shinn said enough was enough He took off around 800m out from home, from last, shot straight to the front…and just kept running. Admittedly you need to have the horse underneath you to pull off something like that, but the manner in which he did it was simply incredible, winning by a space and getting a well deserved Group l win.
He went on to run very well in the Champions Mile before having no luck in the Hong Kong Mile but came back and blitzed them in the Doomben Cup, as seen below, but he’ll always have this memorable win on the CV.
BLAKE SHINN, WHAT A RIDE! 😱
ANTINO LOOPS THE FIELD AND DESTROYS THEM IN THE TOORAK! @blake_shinn @tonygollan pic.twitter.com/ihAlzKrkSj
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 12, 2024
3: Pride Of Jenni – Feehan Stakes: The last great win from the mighty mare. It was a wonderful spectacle for a number of reasons. First, she was taking on her all sparring partner Mr Brightside. It was under the bright lights of Moonee Valley on a big night of racing and she did her thing of rolling along in front. The question was going to be when would Craig Williams on Mr Brightside push the button and drag the other two runners up to Jenni.
She had stolen a march though and despite the best efforts of Mr Brightside, she had enough in hand to score a memorable win. One of the best moments Moonee Valley has seen under the lights.
THAT WAS AWESOME! 💙💜
Pride Of Jenni runs her opposition into the ground! 🔥 @cmaherracing @decbates pic.twitter.com/i8oSg4dNbf
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 27, 2024
4: Switzerland – Coolmore Stud Stakes: He was sort of at the crossroads for the Spring after an inglorious return but Chris Waller freshened him up and got a confidence boosting win in Sydney before tackling this race. The query was whether that win was a one off or could it be the start of something special? It was well and truly the latter, as he produced a devastating finale to win with such arrogance, much like Home Affairs did in 2022.
The potential is there for this guy to be as good, perhaps better, than Home Affairs, but only time will tell given that horse did win the Lightning before going to Royal Ascot.
SWITZERLAND popped a flyer out of the gate, settled in and charged home to win going away in the $2,000,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) at @FlemingtonVRC. @cwallerracing trained the son of @ArrowfieldStud‘s Snitzel, @mcacajamez up.
Bet the Victoria Derby: https://t.co/PKrcH34Nba pic.twitter.com/1LkCDzwSCt
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 2, 2024
5: Bella Nipotina – The Everest: The ride was something else but the courageousness of this mare to win was incredible in the best sprint race Australia has to offer. Craig Williams took the bad gate out of the equation by going forward, with intent, and sat three wide on speed. She was entitled to get beaten but she found under pressure and then when Giga Kick got inside and surged, he looked the winner. But, this mare dug in superbly to fend them off and win.
She is the best sprinter in Australia, and probably has an argument to be on the podium for the best horse in Australia.
BELLA NIPOTINA TAKES OUT THE 2024 EVEREST! 🏔️
WHAT A SPECIAL HORSE! @CWilliamsJockey @cmaherracing pic.twitter.com/InnFzFNZ6m
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 19, 2024
6: Antino – Doomben Cup: The win was similar to the Toorak. The way he gave them a start and a beating and how dominant he was in the run to the line, albeit the depth of the field was nothing special. But, it was a win that has made punters think he could be a legitimate threat to Via Sistina and her chance of winning a second straight Cox Plate. Given he is still lightly raced, with more to offer, it’ll be fascinating to see how he comes back.
ANTINO WINS THE GROUP 1 DOOMBEN CUP!!@tonygollan @blake_shinn @BrisRacingClub @RaceQLD pic.twitter.com/p1TIMwtT6q
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 24, 2025
7: Aeliana – Australian Derby: Not easy for a filly to take on the boys at a staying trip, but she may as well have had manhood because she made them look completely second rate. Admittedly, she had the beaut run in transit, but even allowing for that, she made a mess of them and stamped herself as a future star for the Spring. Just a matter of where they go, whether they aim at the Caulfield Cup, or keep her to the mile with the lure of the Golden Eagle. Either way, this was an outstanding win.
The Derby goes to the filly! 🤩
Aeliana destroys them in the G1 Australian Derby, and just how good is she?!@cwallerracing | @LaneDamian | @StarTbreds | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/pXfg6xnL1v
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025
8:Jimmysstar Oakleigh Plate: The start of a fat Autumn and a prep which secured him an Everest slot. He was last between runners on the turn but tracked up behind She’s Bulletproof before angling clear and only had 150m of clear air. But, the way he just rounded them up and won with something in hand was that of a horse destined for the top level, the proper top level, so keen to see how he measures up in the Spring.
JIMMYSSTAR came over the top of them all in the $750,000 Oakleigh Plate (G1) at Caulfield. @Brown_ethan8 was aboard the gelding for trainer @cmaherracing.
Get in on the Lucky Last: https://t.co/36kjDRt4IY pic.twitter.com/1DpvMSOE0w
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 22, 2025
9: Iknowwhatyouredoing – Darwin: He isn’t going to go down in the history books as a gifted horse. But, this win just has to be seen to be believed. Tailed off last early and looked zero chance. He did pick up into the turn but being out of picture, it was hard to see where he was, only coming into the screen the final 50m and rounded them up to win.
10:Rock Of Kaha – Moora: I’m the same. Never heard of Moora until this popped up and quite really, a win that would make the likes of Chautauqua and Pakistan Star proud. Looked absolutely none throughout the race but somehow managed to pick up and savage the line to win in remarkable fashion.
Check this out! Rock Of Kaha pulling off his best Pakistan Star impression, flying home from a tailed off last on the dirt track of Moora in Western Australia… 💨 pic.twitter.com/qs5jrD2TWM
— Andrew Hawkins (@AndrewNJHawkins) October 5, 2024
