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Via Sistina tipped to âput a big holeâ in Makybe rivals
SENTrack ⹠ September 11th, 2025 3:50 pm
The Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) is the key race at Flemington this Saturday.
SENTrack & RSN form analyst Miles Pfitzner has assessed the potential headlines, suggesting that if favourite Via Sistina wins this weekend then they wonât get near her for the remainder of the spring.
Via Sistina returned with an impressive win in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) on August 23 and now tackles her second-up assignment against stablemate Aeliana, as well as Mr Brightside, Antino, Tom Kitten and Mark Twain.
Pfitzner posed the following potential headlines on Giddy Up: âCan Tom Kitten announce himself to maybe roll Via Sistina in the Cox Plate?
âIs Aeliana the horse we think she is?
âAnd if Via Sistina wins this, you could nearly say she will not be defeated. Itâs almost as simple as that.
âIf sheâs going to go under sheâll be going under at Flemington at the mile because they wonât get near her at 2000 metres plus.
âSecond-up is probably where sheâs at her most vulnerable.â
Pfitzner is adamant that iron horse Mr Brightside, who proved many doubters wrong by running second to Treasurethe Moment in the Memsie, will not beat his Makybe rivals despite having a favourable speed map.
âIâd be deadset shocked if Mr Brightside won this race. I would nearly fall over,â he added.
âI think youâve got the right pilots in Damian Lane, James McDonald, Blake Shinn, Ben Melham and Jamie Mott. Theyâre not going to let Mr Brightside get away with murder.
âI canât see them having the brain-fade like they did with Pride Of Jenni in the Queen Elizabeth and letting a horse just bowl along in front.
âMr Brightside wants the dogfight, on speed, out in front. I just donât think heâs quite going to get it.â
Fellow form guru Mitch Lewis is confident that 10-time Group 1 winner Via Sistina will stomp this small field on her way to defending her Cox Plate crown.
âIâve got one headline and I think it will be: Via Sistina scares most of them for the Cox Plate,â Lewis said.
âShe was vulnerable first-up on a heavy track. Her failure last time was on a sticky track.
âNow on a good Flemington track, I think she can put a big hole in a few of these and that might scare a few off from a Cox Plate.â
