Australian Racing: Via Sistina streets ahead of rivals

There’s Group 1 action from both Sydney and Melbourne on a bumper day of racing on Saturday.

Race 8 Randwick

Via Sistina @ 1.85

Race 8 Flemington

Point And Shoot @ 5.00

Race 7 Wangaratta

Torranzino @ 2.10

Sistina for Verry Elleegant glory

The Verry Elleegant Stakes, a 1600m Group 1 contest, comes up as the eighth race of the day at Randwick and is one of two top level contests set to take place in Sydney.

Fangirl registered some good efforts at this level last prep and she resumed with a length victory in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes here last month.

The six-year-old raced on a good 4 track over 1400m on that occasion and it’s of note that she had a number of her rivals here behind her that day.

Jason Collett, on board on that occasion, is again set to ride with his mount bidding to go one better than when runner-up in this even 12 months ago.

Stablemate VIA SISTINA made a big impact in 2024 following her switch from Europe winning four times at the highest level.

While the mare also took out the 1400m Winx Stakes here in August all four of her Group 1 victories came over around 2000m.

The pick’s most impressive success came when putting daylight between herself and her rivals in the Group 1 Cox Plate over 2040m at Moonee Valley in October.

A comfortable triumph in Flemington’s Group 1 Champions Stakes came the following month and she is expected to have improved for her third in the previously mentioned Apollo Stakes.

James McDonald, on board for three of the mare’s Group 1 wins last year, returns to the saddle here and his mount is taken to record a win racing second up.

Shoot for Guineas success

The highlight in Melbourne is the Group 1 Australian Guineas, a 1600m contest restricted to three-year-old’s and set to be held as the eighth race on a 10-race card at Flemington.

Clinton McDonald’s Angel Capital has won three times this season including twice in Group company.

The most recent of the colt’s Group race successes came when scoring by one-and-a-half-lengths in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield last month.

Prior to that the colt had ended his last prep with a sixth in the Caulfield Guineas when making his first appearance at this level.

Regular rider Ben Melham is set to ride and he looks likely to play a leading role jumping from barrier eight.

While he has yet to race in Group company, POINT AND SHOOT takes the eye here having impressed despite missing the break in a Benchmark 78 handicap last month.

Racing over this distance for the first time that day, Point And Shoot finished strongly when delivering a two-and-a-half-length victory on a good 4 track at Randwick.

That latest success was the second leg of a Randwick double, with the gelding having previously delivered a five-and-a-half-length victory in a 1400m Benchmark 72 handicap at the track.

Point And Shoot had shaped as if the step up to 1600m would suit on that occasion and he looks ready for the step up in grade he encounters here.

Bjorn Baker’s representative has been allocated an inside barrier for this event and, with Damian Lane an eye-catching jockey booking, he is selected to score.

Torranzino to take Cup

It’s Cup Day at Wangaratta with the feature race coming up as the seventh race on a nine-race program.

The main race, a 2000m open handicap set to take place on a good 4 track, has attracted a field of seven including Mostly Cloudy, last seen finishing down the field in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young’s representative placed second in this race 12 months ago and while, he holds claims first up, TORRANZINO is the selection for the Paul Preusker stable.

The five-year-old is a dual winner this season, with the second of those wins coming over this distance in the Hyland Victorian Country Cups Final at Caulfield in November.

Torranzino has registered some good efforts in defeat since, including when beaten less than one-and-a-half-lengths in the Listed Victoria Gold Cup back at Caulfield last time.

Celine Gaudray, on board for the gelding’s most recent victory, is set to partner Torranzino for the first time since, with the pair expected to prove hard to beat here.