James McDonald cops huge blow as second leading contender Via Sistina ruled out of Melbourne Cup
McDonald is currently without a Melbourne Cup ride after Via Sistina was ruled out of the great race.
Champion jockey James McDonald has been dealt a massive blow in his bid for a second Melbourne Cup success after dominant Cox Plate winner Via Sistina was ruled out of the race that stops the nation. The Chris Waller-trained mare set a sizzling track record to win the Cox Plate last Saturday in a performance that led to her being ranked the No.1 horse in the world.
Via Sistina was immediately installed as Melbourne Cup favourite, with her odds slashed to $5, despite not being a confirmed starter at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November. But after connections assessed their options they came to the decision to not target the $8.5 million race.
Via Sistina's owner, Yulong Investments took to social media on Wednesday to announce the seven-year-old would not compete in the Melbourne Cup. "Via Sistina officially ranked the world's number 1 racehorse! The Cox Plate has always been her main target, to win it is nothing short of a dream," Yulong said in a statement on X.
"Following this peak performance and after much consideration, it has been decided she will not contest the 2024 Melbourne Cup." Via Sistina will instead target the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 9.
The mare is an odds-on favourite for that race, with McDonald expected to ride her there. While the $8 million Hong Kong Cup (2000m) in December is also on the radar for connections. Via Sistina was bought by Yulong for $5.5 million in December last year and has now amassed more than $6.7 million in career prize money. McDonald claimed his 100th Group 1 triumph in the Cox Plate aboard the star seven-year-old, winning the 2040m Moonee Valley race for the third consecutive year - after success aboard Romantic Warrior and Anamoe.
Jan Brueghel ruled out of Melbourne Cup by Racing Victoria
The news of Via Sistina's withdrawal comes after another favourite, Irish colt Jan Brueghel, was ruled out by Racing Victoria (RV) on the advice of vets. Connections of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Irish stayer said they are shocked and disappointed by the decision after suggesting the horse was not carrying any noticeable injury.
Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said the unbeaten colt looked sharp during preparations at Werribee and was shattered for everyone associated with the star colt after Tuesday's ruling. Jan Brueghel won last month's Group One St Leger in the UK, before arriving in Australia less than three weeks ago. "He went through all the protocols in Ireland before departing to come down here,” Magnier told SEN.
“The lads have been very happy with the horse, he’s been bouncing out there in quarantine (at Werribee). But the vets have come up with the decision that has been made that he doesn’t pass the veterinary inspection to run in the Melbourne Cup.
“Obviously I’m extremely disappointed for the staff, all our team that have put in so much work both at home, travelling him down and getting him here. I really feel for them because they were excited about this. But at the end of the day at Coolmore the horse comes first, everything about the horse. A decision has been made and that’s that.”
RV confirmed stewards came to the decision to scratch the colt on “specialist veterinary advice”. A statement from RV read: “Reports received from an expert panel of internationally renowned equine surgeons and diagnostic imaging specialists, who reviewed Jan Brueghel’s CT scan results, indicate that the horse is currently at heightened risk of injury.
“Following advice from RV Veterinary Services in relation to the specialist opinions from the independent imaging panel, RV Stewards ordered the withdrawal of Jan Brueghel from the Melbourne Cup on the basis that he was unsuitable to compete.” It leaves 2014 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Ryan Moore currently without a ride in 'the race that stops a nation'."
with AAP
