Via Sistina won the 2024 Cox Plate by eight lengths, beating Japanese raiders Prognosis and Broadsiding

Via Sistina won the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley with a dominant performance, making an incredible comeback after a midweek on-track accident nearly ruled her out of the race.

Jockey James McDonald rode Via Sistina through the middle of the pack and moved towards the corner to overtake Japanese horse Prognosis before racing to win the Australasian weight-for-age championship.

Via Sistina, trained by Chris Waller, won by eight lengths from Prognosis and Broadsiding.

The victory gave McDonald his third consecutive victory in the major race, following Romantic Warrior and Anamoe in the last two years, and also marked the Australian jockey’s 100th Group 1 victory.

During track practice at Moonee Valley on Tuesday, McDonald’s horse was nearly out of the race after tripping when he hit the ground hard and sent the horse running around the track without a rider for two or three laps.

However, after being checked by vets, Via Sistina was cleared to race and she went on to score one of the Cox Plate’s spectacular wins.