GROUP 1 COX PLATE – JOCKEY COMMENTS
James McDonald (Via Sistina): “I think this one is relief as well. I love this place, I’m blessed to ride champion racehorses, blessed to be a part of a champion stable, and she was trained to the minute.
“I can’t thank the Waller team (enough). Everyone. They’re just exceptional horse people. They love their horses.
“Candice lives and breathes this horse. She deserves a lot of the credit. Even though it wasn’t seven lengths, I’m just over the moon.
“I was toey (this morning). I’m always toey. In terms of nervous energy but I put it to good use, I suppose. I suppose that is part of the business where we’re riding the best horse in Australia.
“God, how did Hughey do it with Winx? I don’t know.
“Special mention to Yulong. They went out and paid a lot of money, and they deserve all the rewards they get.”
“I’m blessed to ride champion racehorses.”@mcacajamez wins his fourth consecutive Cox Plate with Via Sistina 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fdv6gRuRnB
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 25, 2025
Mark Zahra (Buckaroo): “He was courageous, followed the winner everywhere but I just never got in front at any stage. She just finds a head the minute you come up to her. She’s a good mare but he ran well.”
Damian Lane (Treasurethe Moment): “She was super. Very proud of the horse, proud of Matty and his team for getting her back to where she is today. Just unfortunately Nepotism was put into the race early and forced my hand, I had to ask for her a bit earlier than what was ideal and she obviously put a good margin on them on the corner, but that early move had a toll late, so she did a great job.”
WATCH: Hear from the beaten jockeys
Craig Williams (Attrition): “I really feel privileged and honoured to ride in the last Moonee Valley Cox Plate, the last meeting here at the current location. Mitch Freedman, my horse’s trainer and Attrition, the horse, did a great job and he ran really admirably to run fourth but that’s a quality field.”
Ethan Brown (Light Infantry Man): “He’s run out of his skin. He got a lovely lead, as he’s getting older, he’s showing signs of up in trip is going to suit. Continually learning about him every start but he held his own then and he’s just going to get better deeper into a prep.”
Hugh Bowman (Aeliana): “She was a little keen in the run and no one wanted the fence, so I just let her creep forward throughout, which was fine, but when the pressure started to build, I was reluctant going inside Ethan Brown, but I had no other choice and I took my chance and it didn’t work out.”
Zac Lloyd (Nepotism): “He went really well. He was able to execute the race nicely; he’s just probably not as seasoned as the other horses. He got a bit lost coming around that bend.”
Blake Shinn (Antino): “That was disappointing, that’s not the Antino we’re accustomed of knowing. First part of the race I was happy to ride a patient race, they went very quick, I followed the first and second horses, but his action wasn’t good from the 1000. He didn’t want to track up like he usually does, and he just didn’t chase from the 500, so I’m sure there’s something not right with the horse and that’s why he performed the way he did.”
WATCH: Via Sistina’s victory