Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au
Aeliana (Castelvecchio) tepped straight from midweek racing to the big stage on Everest Day on Saturday, scoring a brilliant win in the A$250,000 Gr.3 Bisley Workwear Reginald Allen Quality (1400m) at Randwick.
The New Zealand-bred filly made her debut with a fourth at Hawkesbury on August 1, then cleared maiden ranks with a stylish performance on the Kensington track on August 14. In her only other start, Aeliana ran sixth at Warwick Farm on September 4.
Saturday’s three-year-old fillies’ feature came six weeks after that most recent appearance and was a significantly sterner test for the Chris Waller-trained Aeliana, but she rose to the occasion in smart style.
Ridden by James McDonald, Aeliana settled in seventh along the rail before beginning to warm into her work after rounding the home turn.
McDonald drove her through a gap just off the rail halfway down the Randwick straight, and Aeliana burst through along the inside of the leaders. She got her head in front inside the final 50m and scored by a half-neck.
“It was a pretty competitive race and she came into it fresh,” McDonald said. “She’ll improve off that and she did a really good job today. She’s only had a few starts, so it’s all ahead of her.”
Aeliana has now had four starts for two wins and A$184,250 in stakes for a Star Thoroughbreds ownership group. Star Thoroughbreds bought her for $180,000 from Rich Hill Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2023.
“She’s started her innings, that’s for sure,” Waller said. “Black type, and I don’t think it will be her last one.
“We’ve liked her right from her first win here on the Kensington track, which was pretty special. We backed off her after that to try and have her ready for a race like this, so we thought enough of it to bring her here today. We booked James McDonald to ride, which is another pointer of what we think of her.”
Aeliana was bred by Nearco Stud and Rich Hill Thoroughbreds and is by Arrowfield Stud stallion Castelvecchio out of the Star Witness mare Temolie.
Aeliana is the first foal to race out of Temolie, who was herself a placegetter on the racetrack and is a half-sister to Group One winner Invincibella, Group Three winner Secret Blaze and Listed winner Extreme Flight.
Rich Hill Stud bought Temolie for A$200,000 from the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast, when she was carrying Aeliana.
Temolie has been served by Rich Hill’s resident superstar sire Proisir every spring since then, producing filly foals in 2022 and 2023. A yearling half-sister to Aeliana was bought by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and TFI for $250,000 at Karaka earlier this year
