There was a lot of attention in the media regarding the age of Australian Horse of the Year elect Via Sistina (IRE) when she returned to racing for a new campaign at Randwick last Saturday, but was it really that uncommon to see an eight year-old G1 winner?
She may officially be the first 8YO mare to win an Aussie G1 win since Tranquil Star in 1945, but firstly she’s not technically eight given she was foaled in the Northern Hemisphere with her actual age by years being 7.41 years old.
That 7.41 years puts her well down the list of oldest G1 winners in Australia in the past 20 years in about 41st place, but what is interesting is the horses at the top of the list.
Takeover Target won not one but two Group I races as a nine year-old and Fields of Omagh was nine when he won his second Cox Plate.
Other nine year-olds to win Group I races in the past 20 years are Who Shot Thebarman, Black Heart Bart, Zipping and Cascadian.
Few older mares race on past the age of six, but the G1 winners successful at the age of seven and beyond in the past 20 years outside of Via Sistina (IRE) are her stablemates Winx, Shillelagh and Atishu, as well as Bella Nipotina, Nettoyer and Etah James.
Australia’s Oldest G1 Winners in the Past 20 Years
|
Race date |
Horse |
Sire |
Foaling date |
Race |
Age by years |
|
2/05/2009 |
Takeover Target |
Celtic Swing |
27/09/1999 |
2009 Goodwood Stakes |
-9.6 |
|
18/04/2009 |
Takeover Target |
Celtwic Swing |
27/09/1999 |
2009 T J Smith |
-9.56 |
|
14/04/2018 |
Who Shot Thebarman |
Yamanin Vital |
2/11/2008 |
2018 Sydney Cup |
-9.45 |
|
28/10/2006 |
Fields of Omagh |
Rubiton |
22/09/1997 |
2006 W S Cox Plate |
-9.1 |
|
29/09/2019 |
Black Heart Bart |
Blackfriars |
11/09/2010 |
2019 Underwood Stakes |
-9.05 |
|
3/10/2010 |
Zipping |
Danehill |
24/09/2001 |
2010 Turnbull Stakes |
-9.03 |
|
30/03/2024 |
Cascadian |
New Approach |
26/03/2015 |
2024 Australian Cup |
-9.02 |
|
25/04/2009 |
Ista Kareem |
Germano |
1/08/2000 |
2009 Sydney Cup |
-8.74 |
|
21/05/2011 |
Scenic Shot |
Scenic |
16/09/2002 |
2011 Doomben Cup |
-8.68 |
|
13/03/2010 |
Zipping |
Danehill |
24/09/2001 |
2010 Australian Cup |
-8.47 |
|
4/03/2006 |
Fields of Omagh |
Rubiton |
22/09/1997 |
2006 Futurity Stks |
-8.45 |
|
19/03/2011 |
Zavite |
Zabeel |
23/11/2002 |
2011 Ranvet Stakes |
-8.32 |
|
2/03/2024 |
Think It Over |
So You Think |
8/11/2015 |
2024 Verry Elleegant Stakes |
-8.32 |
|
11/03/2006 |
Roman Arch |
Archway |
8/01/1998 |
2006 Australian Cup |
-8.18 |
|
12/04/2025 |
Arapaho |
Lope De Vega |
22/02/2017 |
2025 Sydney Cup |
-8.14 |
|
21/11/2015 |
Buffering |
Mossman |
5/11/2007 |
2015 Winterbottom Stks |
-8.05 |
|
31/03/2018 |
Almandin |
Monsun |
27/03/2010 |
2018 Tancred Stakes |
-8.02 |
|
3/11/2012 |
Alcopop |
Jeune |
30/10/2004 |
2012 Mackinnon Stakes |
-8.02 |
|
25/03/2023 |
Cascadian |
New Approach |
26/03/2015 |
2023 Australian Cup |
-8 |
