"I might take her back to England" - Aussie superstar Via Sistina could appear at Royal Ascot 2025

A Group One winner for George Boughey, Via Sistina has been a revelation since her move to Australia at the start of this year. Chris Waller's recruit has won five of her seven starts in top-level company, including victories in the Ranvet, Winx and the Turnbull Stakes.

Via Sistina routed her rivals in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last month, before rouding off her campaign with another dominant victory in the TAB Champions Stakes earlier today.

“It was very special." Waller told the press. "Winning the Cox Plate the way she did, I think caught everyone by surprise, and then the pressure to back her up and go one more run.

“We spoke about sport analogies and having another game after a grand final and we were thinking about it constantly."

“She’s a very, very special horse, obviously. Don’t underestimate how hard these horses work, so we could see that. We just backed off in the last two weeks and gave her a good time and it worked."

Waller also trained Winx, regarded by many as the best that flat-racing has ever seen. Winx was still winning Group Ones at the age of seven and Waller has already identified potential targets for Via Sistina, when she turns seven in 2025.

Waller continued, “I might take her back to England (next year) – I’ll talk to Mr Zhang and his family.

“Wherever she goes, it’s a bonus really, with what she’s done this year. Give her a spell now and, I guess, look at the Queen Elizabeth (Stakes at Randwick in April).”

The obvious UK target for Via Sistina would be the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. Waller has dropped his filly down to seven furlongs and a mile this term too, so a tilt at the Queen Anne Stakes, or even the Lockinge Stakes may not be out of the question.