Two of Australia’s brightest stars, Via Sistina and Treasurethe Moment, will not clash until the Cox Plate after Yulong confirmed a reshaping of their spring campaigns.
The decision was made after consultation between the Yulong team, trainers Chris Waller and Matt Laurie, and owner Mr Zhang, ensuring both mares will follow separate programs until they meet in the weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley on October 25.
Via Sistina, the recently crowned Australian Horse of the Year, will bypass the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and instead target either the 7 Stakes (1600m) at Randwick or the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 20. From there, she will head to the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on October 4 as her final lead-up.
Treasurethe Moment, who stamped herself as Champion Three-Year-Old filly with a devastating Group 1 Memsie Stakes victory last weekend, will contest the Makybe Diva Stakes before progressing to the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield on October 11.
“We feel it is in the best interests of the horses not to meet until they need to,” Yulong Racing Manager Troy Stephens said. “This season’s Cox Plate is certainly not a two-horse race, but it will definitely add to the spectacle if these two great mares line up together in October.”
Early futures markets for the Cox Plate featuring Via Sistina and Treasurethe Moment are available through leading betting sites.