Chris Waller is confident Via Sistina will enjoy a much more suitable track this year as she lines up in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Twelve months ago, the race was run in extraordinary conditions after hail and rain left the track rated heavy, contributing to Via Sistina’s only unplaced effort in 12 Australian appearances. She finished fifth behind Mr Brightside, a rare blemish on a record that otherwise includes nine Group 1 victories and the title of Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year.
This time around, Flemington is rated a Good 4 with a forecast high of 18 degrees, much to Waller’s relief. “Last year there was a lot of hail, and I wouldn’t expect that again,” he said. “I remember seeing the track and it was covered in ice, and I think it might have even happened at the barriers, and she just never travelled. We thought first-up (Winx Stakes), she doesn’t like wet tracks because she didn’t like the track at Flemington that day, but that wasn’t the case at all. It was very unusual circumstances last year.”
Via Sistina was originally scheduled to trial on Tuesday but instead galloped left-handed at Rosehill after stablemate Treasurethe Moment was scratched from the Makybe Diva earlier in the week due to a colic attack. Waller confirmed she will travel to his Flemington stable on Wednesday night. “Nothing really changed, only we didn’t trial her on Tuesday and we were only trialling her because it was going to be four weeks between runs,” he said. “Now it’s only three weeks, so we galloped her left-handed at Rosehill on Tuesday. She’s come back in good shape and we’re looking forward to Saturday’s race at Flemington.”
Aeliana, who chased home Via Sistina in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) first-up, will be among her five opponents on Saturday. The talented mare has already proven herself at Flemington, winning the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) during last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival. She galloped on the course proper on Wednesday alongside stablemate Lazzura, who runs in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes. “She’s a very good horse, how good we don’t know,” Waller said. “Saturday will be interesting. A mile second-up, she’s still probably a run away from her peak, which may not be until 2000 metres or 2000 metres plus. I couldn’t be happier with her. Her first-up run was terrific. She made Via Sistina stretch over the concluding stages and it was a good sign of what may come for the rest of her preparation.”
Waller believes both mares will continue to improve as they stretch out in distance later in the spring. “They’re both peaking to get to their third and fourth runs at their top,” he said. “They’ll have tough runs if they’re fighting out the finish, but it’s not going to hurt them as they’re not at their best distances yet. Lining them up to get over 2000 metres, there is improvement to come and I’m happy to be lining them up against each other at a mile and obviously taking on better horses as well.”