The title of Australia’s leading weight-for-age performer is up for grabs following the retirement of Via Sistina.
Chris Waller announced early on Sunday afternoon that the reigning Australian Horse of the Year and two-time Cox Plate winner had run her last race.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock finished second-last in a trial on Thursday and while that was a typically low-key first trial of the campaign, Waller said he was not happy with the way the mare — imported to Australia by Yulong’s Yuesheng Zhang — had come up this preparation.
“Via Sistina has performed consistently well across many seasons and has become a talking point around the world. Not only within racing, but sport in general,” Waller said in an extensive statement released on social media.
“We feel that following her second Cox Plate win and her impressive victory in the Champion Stakes, she hasn’t come back this preparation as her normal highly-energetic self.
“Via Sistina was cleverly purchased from the UK by Mr Zhang and his team, having already been a Group 1 winner and performing at the highest of levels in England, France and Ireland.
“She won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at her first Australian start which was something special and I think we shook our heads that day at the tremendous way she won and little did we know, it was just the start of multiple Group 1 race wins and her becoming the current Australian Horse Of The Year.
“I would like to thank Via Sistina for the journey she has taken us all on from her first-up wins over short distances, to her back-to-back Cox Plate victories which is something we will always remember. She is tough, determined and a beautiful mare to work with.
“The entire Chris Waller Racing team need to be congratulated for the time and effort they have put into Via Sistina, as do the spelling and pre-training farms, the farriers, vets and physios – I want to applaud you all on her amazing career.
“I would like to congratulate Mr Zhang, Jun and April Zhang, Sam Fairgray and the team at Yulong for their support and congratulate them on the success of Via Sistina’s racing career as well as her management.
“We look forward to hearing what the future holds for Via Sistina in the breeding barn and beyond.”
Via Sistina, an eight-year-old by Southern Hemisphere time, retires with a career record of 29 starts for 16 wins and nine minor placings, for just over $19 million in prizemoney.
Eleven of those wins came after being exported to Australia, each of them at Group 1 level.
In addition to her two victories in the Cox Plate, she won the Champions Stakes, Winx Stakes, Ranvet Stakes (twice), along with further Group 1 successes in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Turnbull Stakes and Verry Elleegant Stakes.
She was also a Group 1 winner in Ireland, claiming the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh before being imported to Australia.
Via Sistina will now retire to the Yulong broodmare band, with plans in place for her to return to the UK where she will be served by superstar Darley stallion Dubawi.
