All options are on the table for Australian Derby winner Aeliana this spring, including a potential tilt at the country’s weight-for-age championship.
The filly was among the stars of the Sydney autumn carnival, finishing a desperately unlucky second to Broadsiding in the Rosehill Guineas before thumping her rivals to claim the Derby by more than five lengths.
Syndicator Denise Martin of Star Thoroughbreds is content to leave Aeliana’s spring programming to trainer Chris Waller but says she is excited by what the filly might be able to achieve.
“Chris has reported that she has returned extremely well. She has strengthened and matured and developed nicely,” Martin said.
“Her spring program is nowhere near finalised but she will most likely 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 at Flemington, the Turnbull (Stakes), Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate.”
Aeliana delivered Star Thoroughbreds its first Derby triumph and Martin described the rising four-year-old’s progression as “a rose opening”.
She was particularly delighted to win a classic as she said they didn’t generally target staying types at the yearling sales.
“We were elated because I couldn’t have believed I would have purchased a Derby winner,” Martin said.
“We would normally buy horses that are sprinter-milers or maybe 2000-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.”
Winning a Derby was Martin’s on-track highlight during the 2024-25 season, but it was matched by an achievement away the racecourse.
The sale of 2023 Group 1 Coolmore Classic winner Espiona for $4.15 million last July also ranked highly, Martin having purchased the daughter of Extreme Choice for $190,000 as a yearling before she went on to amass almost $3.3 million in stakes.
“We had a group of her owners together in Sydney watching it happen. We had hoped she might fetch between $3 and $3.5 million and once we got to $4 million on the screen, there was silence in the room. It was a great result,” Martin said.
