The connections of Cox Plate winner Via Sistina are carefully weighing up her next move, with both the Melbourne Cup and the Hong Kong Cup on the table.
Vin Cox, Yulong Investment’s general manager, said the connections are considering running the star mare in the $8 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) next Tuesday or holding off to target December’s $8 million Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
Following Via Sistina’s stunning eight-length victory and new track record in the Cox Plate, Cox emphasised that they want to give the seven-year-old time to recover before making any final decisions.
“There are definitely tougher decisions than this one,” Cox remarked. “We want to let her settle down, get back on solid ground, and clear our heads before we make the call.”
Since Via Sistina is already entered in the Melbourne Cup, the team has a bit of breathing room. “There’s no rush right now; she’s in the race, so we’ll take the time we need,” Cox added.
Although the 2024 Melbourne Cup is appealing—especially with Via Sistina now sitting as $5 favourite with bookmakers who have her as the horse to beat and likely to start the mare much shorter than that quote if they opt to run her in the Cup.