The Brits are here and it’s Group 1 heroine Via Sistina who’s out to conquer the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes, or $4m The Star Doncaster Mile at The Star Championships, Royal Randwick.
Rated highly on 117 as a better older mare to come to Australia, she is a $10 third-pick with Ladbrokes on a 57kg at w-f-a for the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes of 2000m, her pet race-distance.
A last start ¾ length second to King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes, a Group 1 event of 1¼ m, or 2000m, at Ascot in October on British Champions Day, she was trained by George Boughey.
In fact, with owner Beck Hillen critical of the ride in going-for-home too-early, it was King of Steel in June winning the ‘Ascot Derby the King Edward VII Stakes, and second in the Epsom Derby.
Previously second in the Prix Jean Romanet and third in the Falmouth Stakes, both Group 1 events, she earlier claimed her Group 1 in taking out the Pretty Polly Stakes of 1¼m at The Curragh.
However, with Beck Hillen not accepting the Pretty Polly winner Breeders’ Cup Challenge invitation it was Cheveley Park’s Inspiral who won the Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Turf at Santa Anita.
In making three-on-end, but a season apart, she earlier won the Dahlia Stakes of 1m1f and in 2022 the Prix Fille de I’Air of 2100m, having won twice at 1¼m as a 3yo and being unraced at 2 years.
Now racing in the emerald green and white of Yulong and trained by Chris Waller at Rosehill, she’s a 6yo mare by the international Australian sire Fastnet Rock, who shuttled to Coolmore Ireland.
Purchased by Evergreen Equine for 2.7million Gns at the 2023 Tattersalls December Sale, it was her unraced Galileo dam Nigh who sold for 200,000 Gns at this same sale, in-foal to Too Darn Hot.
Picked-up by Beck Hillen of Stephen Hillen Bloodstock for 5,000 Gns at the 2019 Tattersalls December Yearlings, her dam is half-sister to Golden Jubilee and Nunthorpe winner Kingsgate Native.
In welcoming, the ATC Executive General Manager Racing and Wagering James Ross said “the arrivals featured the most accomplished group of horses to compete in a Sydney Autumn Carnival.”
“We are pleased to see such depth with three Group 1 winners amongst this shipment, and will be complemented by Golden Eagle winner Obamburamai who’s expected to arrive mid-March.”
With Via Sistina being $9 for the $1m Queen of The Turf Stakes at wfa for fillies and mares over 1600m, its fellow Group 1 winning mares Place Du Carrousel who is at $13 and Poptronic $34 with top betting sites.
Now with Anthony and Sam Freedman, Place Du Carrousel is $13 for Queen Elizabeth, $21 the Doncaster Mile and $10 for the Sydney Cup, while Poptronic is $51 the Queen Elizabeth, $101 the Doncaster and $51 the Sydney Cup.
With both being 6yo NH bred mares they carry 57 kg at weight-for-age, Place Du Carrousel’s Group 1 victory came in the 2022 Prix de l’Opera of 2000m, and this year the Prix Foy of 2400m.
Poptronic certainly had a successful 2023 season in last winning the British Champions Fillies & Mare Stakes of 2400m, and earlier the Lancashire Oakes of 2400m having been twice Group placed.
Both mares came to Australia as ‘millionaires’, with Place Du Carrousel being a €4.025m Arqana Vente d’Elevage Sale graduate, and Poptronic selling for 1.4m Gns at the Tattersalls December Sale.
Again, it’s Newmarket based William Haggas who returns, and this time with last-start Haydock 1m6f Handicap winner Post Impressionist being $8 favourite with Australian betting apps for the $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup.
Stepping up to the 3200m of the Sydney Cup, he’ll again be ridden by ‘Aussie Tom’ Marquand, and being unraced at both 2 and 3 years ‘he’s all about staying’ having won twice at 1m6f, or 2800m.
