Trainer Chris Waller will have a strong hand in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday with five runners headed by stable star Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock).
But four-year-old stablemate Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) is the horse Waller believes could be her heir apparent.
The established star and rising young talent clash for the first time in the Randwick feature, with Via Sistina a $2.30 favourite for back-to-back titles and New Zealand bred Aeliana ($7.50) facing her maiden test in open company.
“She is the unknown,” Waller said of Aeliana.
“I think she will measure up being a multiple Group One winner. She has won a Derby, been placed behind the best horses in her three-year-old year when she hasn’t won.
“It is pretty exciting with her. She is probably next year’s Queen if she keeps making the rapid rise like she has done.”
Waller said the challenge for Aeliana would be not only taking the step from three-year-old company to open grade but keeping the speed in her legs.
The mare was stretched to 2400m to thrash her male rivals in the Gr.1 Australian Derby in the autumn, although she did place first-up behind Broadsiding in the Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) last preparation.
Aeliana is also untested on a heavy track and Randwick is expected to be in the extreme range for the opening Group One meeting of the season.
The conditions also present a query for Via Sistina, who was a well beaten fifth at her only start on heavy ground in last year’s Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), her lone unplaced effort in 11 Australian runs.
However, Waller warned that performance could be deceiving and said Via Sistina’s wet track form overseas indicated she would handle a genuinely heavy surface.
“It’s hard to compare tracks but the one thing I don’t think she likes is a shifty track and that’s what she got in the Makybe Diva last year,” he said.
“It rained an hour before the race, it actually hailed, and it was a firm base and it was quite shifty. She didn’t like it.
“But when she is getting into the ground, which is where her English form comes in, I think she is pretty good.”
Lindermann (Lonhro), Fangirl (Sebring) and former American mare Full Count Felicia (War Front) round out Waller’s Winx Stakes quintet and all are expected to line up despite the anticipated Heavy 10 conditions.
Aeliana was bred by Nearco Stud and Rich Hill Thoroughbreds and is by Arrowfield Stud stallion Castelvecchio out of the Star Witness mare Temolie.
Desnie Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds bought Aeliana for $180,000 from Rich Hill Stud’s Book 1 yearling draft at Karaka 2023.
Aeliana is the first foal to race out of Temolie, who was herself a placegetter on the racetrack and is a half-sister to Star Thoroughbreds’ Group One winner Invincibella as well as the 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 outstanding resident sire Proisir every spring since then, producing filly foals in 2022 and 2023.
The first of those Proisir fillies was bought by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and TFI for $250,000 at Karaka 2024, while Aeliana’s owners Star Thoroughbreds paid $300,000 to buy the filly offered by Rich Hill during Book 1 of Karaka 2025 in January.
