Plenty of Choices Await Aeliana

Sydney syndication excited as Group 1 Australian Derby winner readies for Spring comeback

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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 October 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.