Via Sistina

Yulong's champion racemare Via Sistina has been retired from racing and is set to return to the UK in the coming weeks in preparation for a visit to Dubawi. Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud, Via Sistina was initially trained by Joe Tuite after being bought by Stephen and Becky Hillen for just 5,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale. When Tuite retired from the training ranks in August 2022, having saddled Via Sistina to win two of her first six starts, she was transferred to the care of George...

by Kit Gow/TTR AusNZ The mighty eight-year-old mare of Yulong struck again on Saturday at Flemington when felling all before her in the G1 Champions Stakes. Master tactician Chris Waller had faith in his star galloper despite a developing bog track and she dutifully delivered a 2 3/4-length victory. Second last as they entered the home turn in the 2000-metre event, it wasn't hard for James McDonald to pick a path out wide for Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) and send the mare hurtling to the front when the pack parted...

By Kit Gow/TTRAusNZ Last year James McDonald stood in the irons approaching the line in the G1 Cox Plate as his mount Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) surged to an astonishing eighth-length victory. This year, the Moonee Valley crowd had their hearts in their mouths as the returning champion rounded the corner out wide, fighting to get past Nepotism (Brutal) and Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) to defend her crown. But it wouldn't be a fitting swansong for the Valley before its reconstruction without that height of drama. For fleeting seconds as...

Parchment Party (Constitution) is poised to become the first American-trained runner in the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, November 4, with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez again booked to ride after partnering the 'TDN Rising Star' to a wide-margin victory in June's GII Belmont Gold Cup Stakes. The Bill Mott-trained Parchment Party was one of 120 nominations for the Melbourne Cup published on Tuesday, with his emphatic win at Saratoga earning him an automatic spot in 'the race that stops a nation'. Leigh Jordon, executive general...

If you're a jumps devotee, Saturday will be all about the Scottish Grand National meeting and wondering whether Willie Mullins can continue his ominous late charge in the British National Hunt trainers' championship to reel in long-time leader Dan Skelton. There is seemingly nothing the master of Closutton can't do. I wouldn't bet against him returning with a favourable deal for Ireland if he was sent as special envoy to Washington to negotiate with President Trump on tariffs. But let's not spoil our weekend by worrying about the ever-changing diktats...

Colin and Melba Bryce's Laundry Cottage Stud is home to 15 broodmares and, though the Hertfordshire operation could certainly be described as boutique, its paddocks have witnessed the formative years of two of the most talked-about horses of recent times. Wootton Bassett (GB) was born there in 2008 and the Group 1-winning juvenile-turned-supersire now commands a stud fee of €300,000. A decade later came Via Sistina (Ire), a 5,000-guinea yearling who became a multi-millionaire on the track and was the top-rated mare in the world last year. While Melba, who...

In the blink of an eye, that's another turf season in the books, which means that this is the final Seven Days column for 2024. Next week Adam Houghton will be starting a new column which aims to keep tabs on those two-year-olds who are rising three and could make more of a name for themselves next year. An eagle-eyed former Timeform employee, Adam guarantees that if the next Notable Speech (GB) is out there, about to make his debut on the all-weather this winter before marching on to Classic...

Trainer Harry Eustace says that he is eager for a rematch between his runner Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}} and impressive Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Docklands was beaten 11 lengths when fifth in the Cox Plate late last month, with the ex-British runner Via Sistina chalking up a fourth Australian Group 1 success in style, beating runner-up Prognosis by eight lengths. Despite the margin of defeat, Eustace would prefer to clash again with Via Sistina in Saturday's Champions Stakes rather than drop back for the Champions...

While Saturday ushers in the new turf season in Britain, there are almost as many European horses nominated to run at Rosehill in Sydney that same day.  In the G1 Ranvet S., six of the seven runners were bred in either Britain, Ireland or France, and they include two seven-figure purchases made by Yulong Investments last December.  Group 1-winning mares Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was bought for 2.7 million gns at Tattersalls, and Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a €4.025 million Arqana purchase, are...

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry NEWMARKET, UK - A Group 1 winner out of a Group 1 winner, by one of the world's best stallions and carrying a foal by the dual champion sire. As recipes go, it has all the ingredients necessary to make a special dish, and that is exactly what the Juddmonte team decided she was when buying Teona (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) from Rabbah Bloodstock for 4.5 million gns. Northern Farm, Charlie Gordon-Watson, Jill Lamb and Coolmore all made attempts on the five-year-old G1...

With the benefit of glorious hindsight it seems scarcely believable that Via Sistina (GB) could have been sold at the December Yearling Sale four years ago for just 5,000gns by her breeder Laundry Cottage Stud. One thing is certain: when the Group 1 winner returns to Tattersalls in a few weeks among the elite Sceptre Sessions of the December Mares' Sale, her price will have many more zeroes on the end. A big, scopey mare who took some time to fill her statuesque frame, the five-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock...

Group 1 winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is the latest high-class runner to be added to the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.  Trained by George Boughey, the five-year-old landed the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh in the colours of Becky Hillen and is sure to add plenty of intrigue to the second edition of the Sceptre Sessions. Boughey commented, "Via Sistina has been a star for us, very easy to train and an ultra consistent mare who has shown to be very versatile. She won the Group...