Plenty of choices await Aeliana

New Paper

7 days ago

SYDNEY All options are on the table for Group 1 Australian Derby (2,400m) winner Aeliana this spring, including a potential tilt in Australia's weight-for-age championship, the Cox Plate (2,040m) at Moonee Valley on Oct 25.
The Chris Waller-trained filly was among the stars of the Sydney Autumn Carnival, finishing a desperately unlucky second to the James Cummings-trained Broadsiding in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2,000m) on March 22, before thumping her rivals to claim the Australian Derby at Randwick on April 5 by more than five lengths.
The Castelvecchio three-year-old's maiden Group 1 victory under jockey Damian Lane also gave her prominent Australian syndication Star Thoroughbreds their first Derby triumph.
Aeliana - who also has two Group 3 wins to her name - is now just weeks away from her first barrier trial, which will pave the way to her comeback.
Denise Martin, the leading syndicator and principal of Star Thoroughbreds, is content to leave Aeliana's spring programming to Waller, but is also excited by what the filly might be able to achieve.
"Chris has reported that she has returned extremely well. She has strengthened, matured and developed nicely," said Martin.
"Her spring programme is nowhere near finalised, but she will most likely run in a barrier trial at the end of July, and have a second barrier trial a couple of weeks later.
"Then we will most likely look at a couple of options towards the end of August, the Winx Stakes and the Memsie (Stakes).
"But after that, there are options such as the Makybe Diva (Stakes) at Flemington, the Turnbull (Stakes), the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate."
It would seem that the world is Aeliana's oyster after her last-start win in the Derby, her fourth career success in 10 starts.
Should she be targeted at the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick on Aug 23, Aeliana could be in for a mouth-watering clash with her stablemates, including 2023 Winx Stakes winner Fangirl, 2025 Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1,500m) winner Lady Shenandoah and star mare Via Sistina.
Waller has confirmed that Via Sistina will defend her 2024 Winx Stakes win first-up in its 2025 renewal in August.
Aeliana's other option for her racing resumption, the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1,400m), will be run at Caulfield on Aug 30.
Not overwhelmed by the plethora of opportunities ahead, Martin described the rising four-year-old's progression as "a rose opening".
She was particularly delighted to win a classic as she said the syndication did not generally target staying types at the yearling sales.
The Star Thoroughbreds, famous for their purple and white stars silks, have been racing horses for decades, but they had tended to go for mostly the sprint riches, most notably with champion stallion Sebring in the 2008 Group 1 Golden Slipper (1,200m).
"We were elated because I couldn't have believed I would have purchased a Derby winner," she said.
"We would normally buy horses that are sprinter-milers or maybe 2,000-metre horses.
"I said to Chris (Waller) the Monday after the Derby - the Caulfield Cup? And he said, 'we'll see'.
"Wherever he goes with this horse, I'm going."
The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2,400m) was won by the Ciaron Maher-trained Duke De Sessa last year and will be run on Oct 18 at Caulfield.
Winning a Derby was Martin's on-track highlight during the 2024-25 season, but it was matched by an achievement away from the racecourse.
The sale of 2023 Coolmore Classic winner Espiona for A$4.15 million (S$3.49 million) last July also ranked highly, with Martin having purchased the daughter of Extreme Choice for A$190,000 as a yearling before she went on to amass almost A$3.3 million in stakes. SKY RACING WORLD