Time Called On The Career Of Yulong’s 12-Time Group 1 Winner Via Sistina

[Wandering Eyes]

Yulong's champion racemare Via Sistina has been retired from racing and is set to return to the UK in the coming weeks in preparation for a visit to Dubawi.

Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud, Via Sistina was initially trained by Joe Tuite after being bought by Stephen and Becky Hillen for just 5,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale. When Tuite retired from the training ranks in August 2022, having saddled Via Sistina to win two of her first six starts, she was transferred to the care of George Boughey, with whom she progressed rapidly through the ranks.

As a five-year-old, the daughter of Fastnet Rock followed a six-length romp in Newmarket's G2 Dahlia Stakes with a breakthrough Group 1 success in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, before going on to finish placed at the top level on three other occasions that season, including when runner-up to King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

It was at the end of 2023 that Via Sistina made her way into the Yulong fold after she changed hands for 2.7 million gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

Sent into training with Chris Waller, she went on to prove herself one of the greats in the long history of Australian racing. Among her 11 Group 1 victories Down Under, she won the Cox Plate, Champions Stakes and Winx Stakes twice apiece, with arguably the best performance of her career coming when she won her first Cox Plate by an astonishing eight lengths. She retires as the winner of 16 of her 29 career starts and over $12.6 million in prize-money.

“Via Sistina has performed consistently well across many seasons and has become a talking point around the world. Not only within racing, but sport in general,” read a statement issued by Chris Waller Racing on Sunday.

“We feel that following her second Cox Plate win and her impressive victory in the Champion Stakes, she hasn't come back this preparation as her normal highly energetic self.

“Via Sistina was cleverly purchased from the UK by Mr Zhang and his team, having already been a Group 1 winner and performing at the highest of levels in England, France and Ireland. She won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at her first Australian start which was something special and I think we shook our heads that day at the tremendous way she won and little did we know, it was just the start of multiple Group 1 race wins and her becoming the current Australian Horse Of The Year.”

The statement continued, “I would like to thank Via Sistina for the journey she has taken us all on from her first-up wins over short distances, to her back-to-back Cox Plate victories which is something we will always remember. She is tough, determined and a beautiful mare to work with.

“The entire Chris Waller Racing team need to be congratulated for the time and effort they have put into Via Sistina, as do the spelling and pre-training farms, the farriers, vets and physios – I want to applaud you all on her amazing career.

“I would like to congratulate Mr Zhang, Jun and April Zhang, Sam Fairgray and the team at Yulong for their support and congratulate them on the success of Via Sistina's racing career as well as her management. We look forward to hearing what the future holds for Via Sistina in the breeding barn and beyond.

“Thank you Via Sistina.

“Chris Waller.”

In a further press release issued by Yulong on Sunday, which also paid tribute to the efforts of Waller and jockey James McDonald, it was confirmed that Via Sistina will visit the great Dubawi for her maiden cover.

“The closing of one chapter leads to the opening of another, and while there is a tinge of sadness that we will not see her on the racetrack again, we are excited to follow Via Sistina's journey into motherhood,” read the release.

“In the coming weeks, she will return to the UK and will be prepared for a date with Darley's preeminent global sire sensation, Dubawi.”

It added, “The last two years have brought everyone at Yulong excitement, joy and incredible pride.

“From the bottom of our hearts, Via, thank you.”

 

A ride we'll never forget.

From all of us Via, thank you pic.twitter.com/VmEbVp63iM

— Yulong Investments (@YulongInvest) January 18, 2026

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