'The best horse in Australia' - Via Sistina digs deep to go back to back and earn James McDonald fourth straight Cox Plate

Champion mare Via Sistina took her 11th Group 1 and her second Cox Plate in exciting fashion on Saturday.

The former George Boughey trainee has been a superstar since transferring to Chris Waller's Australian stable for new owners Yulong Investments and she took her haul of top-level victories in that nation to double figures with a brave success over Buckaroo, who was formerly trained by Joseph O'Brien.

An eight-length winner of the race last year after a dramatic workout at the track earlier in the week, Via Sistina was much less impressive this time. Light Infantry Man set the pace and was closely attended to by Treasurethe Moment, while the favourite was settled much further back in the field.

Relive last year:

• 'It was a Winx-like performance' - Via Sistina shrugs off workout drama to smash course record in Cox Plate 

Treasurethe Moment swept to the lead around the final turn with Via Sistina forced to close out wide, but she wrestled into the lead in the dying strides and found just enough to hold off the late challenge of her stablemate under James McDonald.

"I think this one is about relief," the rider said. "I love this place. I'm blessed to ride champion racehorses and blessed to be a part of a champion stable. She was trained to the minute. I can't thank the Waller team enough. They're exceptional people, they love their horses and Candace [Persijn, groom] lives and breathes this horse.

"Even though it wasn't seven lengths, I'm just over the moon. I was toey this morning and I always am with that nervous energy, but I put it to good use. I suppose that's part of the business. We're riding the best horse in Australia – how did Hughie [Bowman] do it with Winx? I don't know.

"Chris is a genius. He's got a great team and a great horse. A special mention goes to Yulong. They went out and paid a lot of money and they deserve all of the awards they get."

Via Sistina (right) holds off the challenge of BuckarooCredit: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos (Getty Images)

It was a fourth consecutive Cox Plate for the rider, who also struck in the race aboard Anamoe in 2022 and Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior in 2023. Via Sistina joined fellow Australian legends Sunline, Northerly and So You Think as a dual winner. The magnificent Winx is the Cox Plate record holder with four wins.

Waller said: "You just don't know what to expect in racing and that's a dream come true. Everything's gone perfectly. I know she hasn't won her last two runs but all her data suggests she's flying. Once they set those benchmarks, providing the horse is healthy and well, you know they're going to get somewhere close to it.

• WATCH: full replay of the Cox Plate

"She had a lovely run, but Treasurethe Moment was the winner at the 200m. She had to dig deep, but I know she can and she did."

It was the final edition of the Cox Plate to be run in its current guise at Moonee Valley, with the track set to undergo a huge AU$220 million redevelopment. At the end of racing, spectators were pictured and videoed marking the occasion by taking home pieces of the rail and racecourse with them as a memento.

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