Champion Stakes runner-up Via Sistina makes instant impact with Group 1 success on Australian debut

Champion Stakes runner-up Via Sistina made a successful stable debut for Chris Waller when landing the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill.

Via Sistina was beaten three-quarters of a length by King Of Steel on her final start for George Boughey in October before being bought by Evergreen Equine for 2,700,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

The six-year-old, who cost just 5,000gns as a yearling, earned £310,160 when making an instant impact in Australia, scoring by a length and a quarter from 2022 Prix de l’Opera winner Place Du Carrousel under James McDonald.

“She is a privilege to train,” said Waller. “George Boughey has done a fantastic job with her career.

“James Ferguson prepared her for us from Newmarket and we’ve put the finishing touches on her in the last three weeks. She came across very fit, so we haven’t panicked, we’ve just kept her safe and in good shape."

Waller, who enjoyed more Group 1 success with Riff Rocket in the card's Rosehill Guineas, added: “It didn’t look like there was much [speed] on paper and that was a concern, but to amble up and for James to be sitting motionless at the 200, it was pretty good to watch.”

Via Sistina is likely to run in next month’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Randwick Group 1 won last year by Dubai Honour for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.

That British-based combination struck at Rosehill when Post Impressionist justified 29-10 favouritism in the Group 3 Manion Cup Handicap.

Post Impressionist was last seen beating subsequent Group 3 winner Caius Chorister when landing Haydock's Old Borough Cup in September and displayed an impressive burst of acceleration to score by three and a half lengths to seal back-to-back victories in valuable handicaps.

“An Australian turn of foot’s very different to a European mile-six [furlongs] on slow ground that he showed at Haydock," Marquand told Sky Racing Australia. “He’s a horse that’s thriving off the process of coming here.

"It’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination but the team — Issy [Paul] that travels them down here, William, Maureen [Haggas] — choose which horses at the right times. They’ve got it down to a fine art now. They saw plenty in this horse and he’s really stepped up."

On Post Impressionist's next engagement Haggas said: "He will be left in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes next Saturday and will run either there or in the two-mile Sydney Cup on April 13. He won nicely and stayed well."

Ryan Moore was out of luck on the card, managing only third on Storm Boy in the Golden Slipper. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained juvenile was sent off the 8-5 favourite to extend his unbeaten record to five, but the near £1.5m first prize went to his stablemate Lady Of Camelot.

Gai Waterhouse: 'There are other ways to skin a cat'

Lady Of Camelot an eighth Golden Slipper winner for Gai WaterhouseCredit: Edward Whitaker

The filly was beaten a head in last month’s Blue Diamond Stakes but was on the right side of a close finish this time, beating Coleman by a short head under Blake Shinn.

Shinn also won the Golden Slipper in 2016 on Capitalist but to provide Waterhouse with a record-extending eighth winner in the feature two-year-old sprint held extra significance.

“It means a lot,” said Shinn. “This is one of the majors and it means a lot this time because I’ve done it for Adrian and particularly Gai. This is going to make a lot of people happy.

“This is one of the iconic races in Sydney, but it’s the world’s richest two-year-old race and the one jockeys here want to win.”

On Storm Boy’s defeat, Moore said: “He’s a very talented horse who didn’t have the rub of the green today. He’ll probably improve when he goes a bit further.”

Lady Of Camelot’s victory completed doubles at Rosehill for Waterhouse and Bott, whose Osmose landed the Group 3 Epona Stakes, and Shinn, who won the Listed Munro Stakes on Ciaron Maher’s Brave Mead.

Imperious Imperatriz

Imperatriz bounced back from her defeat at Flemington last time to record back-to-back wins in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Arguably the best sprinter in the world, Imperatriz was second to Cylinder in the Newmarket Handicap but emphatically reversed form with that rival to seal a tenth Group 1 win.

After the Opie Bosson-ridden five-year-old extended her unbeaten streak at Moonee Valley to five, trainer Mark Walker said: “It’s a bit of a relief really. I wish all Group 1 races were run here.”

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