Mare Via Sistina Withdrawn from Melbourne Cup

The owners of Via Sistina have announced the mare will skip the Melbourne Cup to compete in the Champions Stakes at Flemington. This decision follows her victory in the Cox Plate. Another Melbourne Cup contender, Jan Brueghel, was also scratched from the race for veterinary reasons.

In a significant development in the horse racing world, the owners of Melbourne Cup favorite Via Sistina have confirmed the mare will not participate in Australia's prestigious race next Tuesday. Instead, Via Sistina will target the Champions Stakes at Flemington the following weekend.

The announcement came via Yulong Investments through social media, revealing that the decision was made post her impressive win in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last weekend. The post mentioned that the Cox Plate was always the primary goal for Via Sistina, and achieving such a dream performance prompted the decision to opt out of the 2024 Melbourne Cup.

Meanwhile, another top contender for the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel, has also been removed from the race upon veterinary advice. Racing Victoria's stewards report explained that scans indicated a heightened risk of injury for the stallion, leading to his withdrawal.

(With inputs from agencies.)