Imported mare Via Sistina is the standout of the four runners Sydney trainer Chris Waller has in the 10-horse field for Saturday’s (13 April) G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick.
The Irish bred six-year-old has been all the rage since making her Australian debut in devastating fashion with a one and a quarter lengths victory in last month’s G1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.
Jockey James McDonald was full of praise after riding Via Sistina to victory.
“She’s got a big motor and, dare I say it, I think she’ll improve off that. Slow speed, fast speed, wet or dry, it doesn’t matter,” he said after the win.
“I got to them (Via Sistina’s rivals) under hands and heels, she’s very good.”
McDonald said a faster pace at Royal Randwick is going to “really let her rip.”
Via Sistina was a HK$27 million purchase last December for Victorian stud Yulong, which also paid HK$34 million for Irish bred ex-French galloper Place Du Carrousel who also made her debut in the Ranvet Stakes, finishing second to Via Sistina.
Place Du Carrousel, who will also compete in Saturday’s race, is trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman. Both mares won Group 1 races before arriving in Australia.
With McDonald looking for plenty of pace, it’s guaranteed with the front-running mare Pride Of Jenni who narrowly failed to hold on last start in the G1 Australian Cup (2000m) when she was just nabbed on the line by the fast-finishing Cascadian.
Cascadian and the highly-rated Pride Of Jenni will again face off on Saturday, along with Mr Brightside, who was disappointing in the Australian Cup when he finished fifth, beaten about four and three quarters lengths.
Co-trainer Sam Freedman rates Place Du Carrousel, again to be ridden by Tommy Berry, hard to beat after a solid workout on Tuesday (9 April).
“Tommy said she really enjoyed the ground (on Tuesday) morning and was very happy with the way she worked and took to Randwick,” Freedman said.
“I think the way the race is going to be run on Saturday will suit her better than the Ranvet (Stakes), where they went so slow and the other mare outsprinted her.
“With Pride Of Jenni there, they are going to run along. It will suit her being more a stayer that has won up to 2400m, because it’s going to be a tough 2000m.”
The Hayes training camp is confident that Mr Brightside, who was beaten a nose by champion Hong Kong galloper Romantic Warrior in the G1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m), can return to his best.
Yet to win beyond 1630m, Mr Brightside is expected to be ridden quieter over the 2000m race, rather than being handy like he was in the Australian Cup where he was positioned second behind the leader Pride Of Jenni before fading.
Mr Brightside has drawn the outside barrier, while front-running Pride Of Jenni has drawn ideally in barrier three.
Owners of trainer Joseph Pride’s Ceolwulf paid a HK$342,000 late entry for the three-year-old to take his place in the field after finishing second in last week’s G1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick.
Ceolwulf, the sole three-year-old in the field, will carry the minimum of 122lb in the weight-for-age event.
