Latest news with #Aeliana
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Champion mare Via Sistina to kick off latest Cox Plate pursuit in Randwick trial
Champion mare Via Sistina's build-up to her latest Cox Plate tilt will gather momentum when she headlines a star-studded barrier trial session at Royal Randwick on Tuesday. Trainer Chris Waller will get an early guide on how his spring carnival arsenal are going when Via Sistina steps up alongside star stablemates Fangirl, Aeliana, Autumn Glow and Wodeton. Via Sistina is making her first public appearance since her dominant Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April as she prepares to chase consecutive Cox Plate wins this spring. She lines up in a 850m heat alongside Fangirl while Canadian Group 1 winner Full Count Felicia also steps out. Golden Slipper runner up Wodeton, brilliant Australian Derby winner Aeliana, unbeaten boom filly Autumn Glow and Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes victor Lazzura contest a second 850m heat. 'They will all have very quiet trials on Tuesday, they are a month away from racing,' Waller said. 'The 23rd of August they will be racing. If everything goes to plan (they will have two trials). 'We allow an extra week just in case for a temperature or sore foot and things like that. 'Nine times out of 10 you need it and sometimes you will see them have an exhibition gallop if they haven't had a problem. 'It's just about being careful. You are a month away so you can imagine how much fitness is going to be done in the next month.' Sydney's first Group 1 of the new season, the Group 1 $1 million Winx Stakes, will be staged on August 23. Waller is considering another heavy-handed assault of the race with past winners Via Sistina and Fangirl while Aeliana and Lady Shenandoah, which will trial on Friday at Warwick Farm, are also candidates. 'All four of them could clash in the Winx first-up – Lady Shenandoah, Aeliana, Via Sistina and Fangirl ,' Waller said. 'Autumn Glow will probably go down a handicap path towards an Epsom.' Waller conceded the Winx Stakes may be Via Sistina's only run in Sydney this spring as the stable gives serious consideration to the Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13 for her second-up assignment. She followed the same path last year after winning the Winx Stakes. “This is a demolition job!â€� Pride Of Jenni runs her rivals ragged with a fantastic front-running ride by @decbates to win the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes! Via Sistina ran on into second and Mr Brightside finished third. @cmaherracing @tabcomau — Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) April 13, 2024 'I think the Makybe Diva will create a bit of interest to us with there being such a gap between the Winx and the King Charles,' Waller said. 'Then you have the Chelmsford but I think the Makybe Diva might suit her and then maybe the Turnbull. 'The Winx could be here only run in Sydney but I won't rule out that she won't stay here either.' Waller will also get a glimpse of one of his soon to be new arrivals when Silver Slipper winner Beiwacht contests the same heat. Beiwacht is among a string of Godolphin heavyweights that will step out on the morning as they prepare to move to new homes next season. Tom Kitten Zardozi, which heads to Ciaron Maher at the beginning of next season.
New Paper
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Plenty of choices await Aeliana
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
News.com.au
19-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Bookies can't split Lady Shenandoah and Autumn Glow as spring markets are revealed
Who is the better three-year-old filly – Autumn Glow or Lady Shenandoah? It's a debate that has raged for months with opinions evenly divided after both of trainer Chris Waller 's star fillies completed perfect seasons. Even the bookies are having trouble separating them with TAB Fixed Odds price assessors rating Autumn Glow and Lady Shenandoah as equal favourites for some of the biggest races of the spring. TAB is today opening betting on many of the major spring carnival races and have Autumn Glow and Lady Shenandoah sharing favouritism at $6 for the Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap and $4.50 for the $10 million Golden Eagle. Another of Waller's outstanding fillies, the runaway ATC Australian Derby winner Aeliana, is on the second line of Epsom betting at $8 and fourth favourite for the Golden Eagle at $11. The release of the TAB markets is timely as both Autumn Glow and Lady Shenandoah returned to pre-training on Monday. Autumn Glow's owner John Messara said it was too early to lock in her spring program but confirmed the Epsom Handicap and Golden Eagle were likely targets. 'We have all our options open but at this stage the first Group 1 for Autumn Glow is likely to be the Epsom Handicap,'' Messara said. 'There is also the Golden Eagle to consider but it all depends on Autumn Glow and what Chris thinks is best for her. 'She has spelled really well, she's physically bigger and stronger now, and it's exciting to think what she could do in the spring.'' Autumn Glow is unbeaten in four starts including the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes and Listed Darby Munro Stakes. ðŸ�‚ Autumn Glow proves she’s the real deal and wins the G2 Tea Rose Stakes at just her third start and remains unbeaten! @cwallerracing | @mcacajamez — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 21, 2024 She was the hot favourite for the Group 1 Flight Stakes last spring only to be withdrawn on race-eve with a minor injury. In her absence, Lady Shenandoah won the Flight Stakes in a canter by more than three lengths. Lady Shenandoah trained on to win two more Group 1 races, the Surround Stakes and Coolmore Classic, to complete her five-start unbeaten three-year-old season. Make way for the lady! Lady Shenandoah makes a mess of the G1 Flight Stakes with a dominant win for @ZacLloydx and @cwallerracing! @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024 Timeform ratings have Lady Shenandoah and Aeliana as the top fillies this season with peak 119 figures ahead of Autumn Glow at 117 and dual Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment on 115. TAB is opening big-race markets on a number of the spring carnival features including the Golden Rose, King Charles III Stakes, The Metropolitan, Flight Stakes, Coolmore Stud Stakes, Champions Stakes, Champions Mile, Champions Sprint and The Kosciuszko. Godolphin filly Tempted is the $4.50 Flight Stakes favourite with Golden Slipper winner Marhoona at $6 while the past two King Charles III Stakes winners, Fangirl and Ceolwulf, are at $4.50 and $6 respectively for a repeat success.
News.com.au
22-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Via Sistina the only certainty in open Horse of the Year awards
The close of Sydney's showpiece autumn carnival usually provides clarity for the various Horse of the Year award categories each season – but not this year! The only certainty is that Via Sistina will claim Horse of the Year after successive autumn carnival Group 1 wins in the Verry Elleegant Stakes, Ranvet Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, bringing her tally of big-race wins in 2024-25 to a record-equalling seven. The champion mare also wins the middle distance category and is a contender for the miler title although she has opposition from Epsom Handicap-King Charles III Stakes winner Ceolwulf, Mr Brightside (Makybe Diva Stakes, Champions Mile) and Fangirl (Queen of the Turf Stakes). But with 12 Group 1 races left this season – four in Adelaide and eight in Brisbane – the other awards categories are wide open, particularly the three-year-old filly division. Melbourne's wonder filly Treasurethe Moment won eight races in a row during the season including three at Group 1 level in the VRC Oaks, Vinery Stud Stakes and ATC Australian Oaks. But is that enough to secure champion three-year-old filly honours? Lady Shenandoah will have her admirers after an unbeaten season that included her Group 1 treble in the Flight Stakes, Surround Stakes and notably her defeat of the mares in the Coolmore Classic. Aeliana 's absolute dominance of the 'boys' in the ATC Australian Derby puts her into the conversation but unbeaten Autumn Glow 's obvious potential probably isn't enough to earn the fillies title. The two-year-old award is similarly contentious with four different winners of the juvenile Group 1 races this season. Marhoona only had three starts culminating with her Golden Slipper win so she has to be among the main contenders. Unbeaten Vinrock won his three starts and is the first horse since Full On Aces (1981) to win the VRC Sires'-ATC Sires' double, while Team Hawkes won two-year-olds majors with the very impressive Nepotism (Champagne Stakes) and Devil Night (Blue Diamond). Godolphin's Tempted was the unlucky two-year-old in both the Blue Diamond (seventh) and Golden Slipper (third), but won the Reisling Stakes beating Marhoona in a brilliant 1min 8.49sec and claimed the Percy Sykes Stakes despite enduring a wide run. But her luckless losses in the majors will most likely cost her the juvenile title, too. The champion three-year-old colt or gelding is also up for grabs although Godolphin colt Broadsiding has a compelling case as the only male in the age group to win twice at Group 1 level so far this season with success in the Golden Rose and Rosehill Guineas. He was also placed in the Cox Plate. But Private Harry, unbeaten in five starts, burst on to the scene like a comet this season culminating with wins in The Sunlight and then the Group 1 The Galaxy against older sprinters ensuring he will have plenty of support. Linebacker did beat Broadsiding in the Randwick Guineas (Aeliana was fourth) but that was his only win for the season so he probably hasn't done enough to claim the three-year-old colt or gelding award. Jimmysstar became the only dual Group 1-winning sprinter so far this season with his fast-finishing All Aged Stakes triumph last Saturday complementing an Oakleigh Plate win. But The Everest winner Bella Nipotina is arguably still slight favourite to win the sprinter division although this is a hotly contested award with Briasa (TJ Smith Stakes), Joliestar (Newmarket Handicap), Sunshine In Paris (Champions Sprint) and Overpass (Winterbottom Stakes) all contenders. Similarly, the champion stayer category is also very open. The Melbourne Cup winner often has the advantage but Knight's Choice is behind the likes Duke De Sessa (Caulfield Cup) and Arapaho (Sydney Cup). â– â– â– â– â– 2024-25 HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD CONTENDERS HORSE OF THE YEAR: Via Sistina CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE: Via Sistina
