Cox Plate report and replay: Via Sistina brilliant winner

Her participation had been in doubt after she unshipped big-race jockey James MacDonald and completed nearly three laps of the big-race track running loose on Tuesday morning.

However her new trainer Chris Waller was happy to let her take her chance and was rewarded with a stunning display, the six-year-old thundering to an eased down eight lengths victory, providing the winning rider with a 100th Group One success in the saddle.

He told Racing.com: "It was a Winx-like performance. I can't believe it. I'm just so lucky. What this mare has been through; she's just an absolute star. I'm so lucky to be a part of it.

"I love this race, I love this place. To win a Cox Plate with Chris Waller, who is my biggest supporter, is special. I am blessed. So blessed."

An emotional Waller added: "We've had to do these things before. You just had to forget what happened on Tuesday, she's a good horse and it was my job to prove it. The truth is when she got up and when James got up, all James said to me, 'the Cox Plate is not on today'.

"It was a big week but I've just had full support from the owners, my staff, all the team, Moonee Valley. It's just been overwhelming. There's not been any negativity, only positive vibes. I'm so proud of her, so proud of her.

"There's probably 10 key factors and it's not anything else except common-sense, simple as that. We never lost faith and just just followed our instincts."

British raider Docklands finished a respectable fifth for the Harry Eustace team.

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