Australia: Via Sistina looks to rebound with better trip in Verry Elleegant Stakes

Via Sistina, the star in Australia's filly and mare division the last six months, will be an odds-on favorite to win her fifth Group 1 race since late August in Friday’s $625,100 Verry Elleegant Stakes at one mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

Via Sistina was a troubled third in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick on Feb. 15 in her first start since November. She did not have a clear run through the final quarter-mile and was beaten a length by the outstanding filly Fangirl, who is also part of the Verry Elleegant field.

Fangirl rallied wide, avoiding trouble, to win her ninth stakes in the Apollo.

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Via Sistina, trained by Chris Waller, has won 10 of 21 starts, but is winless in two career starts at a mile, including a dull fifth in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington Racecourse in September. Via Sistina rebounded to win three consecutive Group 1 races at 1 1/4 miles in October and November.

Randwick has a 10-race program beginning at 8:30 p.m. Eastern or 5:30 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Earlier on the Randwick program, Lady Shenandoah will be heavily favored for Waller to win her fourth consecutive stakes in the Group 1 Surround Stakes for 3-year-old Southern Hemisphere fillies at seven furlongs.

Lady Shenandoah won the Group 1 Flight Stakes at a mile at Randwick in October in her final start of 2024 and won her 2025 debut in the Group 2 Lightfinger Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Feb. 15. In both races, she closed from slightly off the pace.

The Surround Stakes drew a field of 15. As of Thursday, the only other filly with single-digit odds in early betting was Lady of Camelot, who was second in the Lightfinger.

Friday’s Group 1 Australian Guineas for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at a mile at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne drew a competitive field of 16.

Sepals, who began the year as a maiden and has since won three consecutive starts, makes his Group 1 debut and second start at Flemington. Trained by Cliff Brown, Sepals won his group stakes debut in the Group 3 C.S. Hayes Stakes at seven furlongs at Flemington on Feb. 15, closing from sixth in a field of 13 to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

The $625,100 Australian Guineas will be the first start at a mile for Sepals, who was 9-2 on Thursday. The early favorite at 3-1 was Angel Capital, a winner of 4 of 7 starts, including the Group 2 Autumn Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse on Feb. 8.

Angel Capital closed from sixth of eight to win the Autumn Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths.

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