2025 Champions Stakes Review: What The Jockeys Said

Via Sistina showed why she is the best horse in the country when backing up her Cox Plate win with a dominant win in the Champions Stakes, with James McDonald on board, who was full of praise following the win.

It is always important to hear what the jockeys say after the race as you can forgive a horses bad run or even find a winner next start so head to the post race comments below.

BENAGIL (Michael Dee) – 11th

Just couldn’t quicken up in that ground.

KOVALICA (Damian Lane) – 10th

Struggled in the conditions today.

POINT KING (Celine Gaudray) – 9th

Second-up off a long break on a heavy track probably just seen him out.

GOLDEN PATH (Jordan Childs) – 8th

Just come to the end of his prep.

ALENQUER (Jamie Mott) – 7th

He was OK. He’s going to go to the Zipping Classic, which will obviously be a much easier race for him and out further in trip so I think he’ll be well-suited in that race.

ATTRITION (Craig Williams) – 6th

He followed the second horse through, I love this horse, it’s a pretty hard ask against these horses on that type of ground but every time I asked he tried.

LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (Declan Bates) – 5th

He’s run really well, it just didn’t go to plan. The plan was to get a forward position but he just missed the break a bit so I had to go to Plan B and in the circumstances he’s run really well.

PIER (Ethan Brown) – 4th

Good effort first go at 2000. I think this whole prep is going to toughen him up as a horse. He’ll make a proper horse next time in.

TOM KITTEN (Ben Melham) – 3rd

He ran pretty well. Tom Kitten is Tom Kitten, he wins when everything falls into place for him but I was happy with his run.

ZAMBARDO (Jamie Melham) – 2nd

Fantastic. If I could have tracked Via into it I think it would have suited him because he hit that clear air and he actually waited for two or three strides , so in the end a fantastic run though.

VIA SISTINA (James McDonald) – 1st

She’s an absolute pleasure to ride.

How good are they? They just prep them up beautifully, Waller and his team. She was cool today, real cool. She started her prep in amazing fashion. Certain things didn’t go her way but when you’re riding a dual Cox Plate winner on Champions Day and the last group one of a fantastic four days, it is very special.

It felt like every man and his dog was on her today but she duly obliged and the race couldn’t have panned out any better for us, to be fair. It was just like riding a trial early and letting her blend in at the six (hundred), four, two, and that’s all she did.