To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.
Denise Martin knows that it’s true in racing, as it is in all sports, and while it’s not a philosophy that is entirely informing her mare Aeliana’s spring campaign, it’s one she’s happy to adopt.
Last season’s ATC Derby winner could’ve easily dodged her glamour stablemate Via Sistina and been placed on a spring path towards either the $10 million Golden Eagle or the $5 million Caulfield Cup.
The latter, at a distance over which she’d destroyed her three-year-old peers at Group 1 level last season, was an option many punters thought Aeliana would’ve been close to a good thing in and a race in which she was pre-nomination favourite with most corporate bookmakers.
Instead, the mare will clash with her Chris Waller-trained stablemate Via Sistina for the third consecutive time in Saturday’s Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, with both horses on a path towards the Cox Plate later this month.
The ledger sits at one-all, with Via Sistina holding off Aeliana in the Winx Stakes first-up, before the younger mare beat home the 10-time Group 1 winner in the Makybe Diva Stakes, won by Mr Brightside.
Martin, of Star Thoroughbreds that bought, own and race Aeliana, said there is an obvious respect for Via Sistina from her owners, but also excitement for the challenge of racing her at her peak.
“She is Australia’s champion racehorse from the last two years so we’re under no illusions about the challenge she faces and we’re going into the Turnbull hopeful more than anything else,” Martin said.
“If the stars were to align and our mare was able to beat Via Sistina, it would be incredible and I think most of our owners that will be there on Saturday would be riveted to the spot in disbelief and hoping that it’s not a dream.”
“When you are racing against the best horses in the land, you don’t ever go expecting a result, you just wish that it can happen and you feel very comfortable in the fact that Chris and his team have done the best possible job to cross every T and dot every I.”
“It’s thrilling to have a horse in this company.”
On the decision to skip the Caulfield Cup this spring, Martin said she left Aeliana’s spring program entirely up to Waller, who felt tackling the Caulfield Cup with 55kg wasn’t conducive to the mare’s best interests long-term.
While she remains among the entries for both Cups, Martin said it is more realistic to think that the daughter of Castelvecchio will be aimed at the 2026 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
For Martin and her team at Star, there is absolutely an attraction to racing elite mares into their four, five and even six-year-olds seasons, rather than putting them on the broodmare market and rushing them off to stud after a Group 1 breakthrough.
“It’s quite a taxing 2400m at Caulfield and for an immature four-year-old mare, which Chris still thinks she is, I think it’s quite a big ask.”
“It’s a $5 million race so it’s very enticing and I know that for a long time she was favourite for the race but I’ve always made sure that her owners were aware that the final program this spring was completely up to Chris.”
“His track record is there and he understands that we are looking longer term with our horses.”
“I’m sure if you asked him today what he had planned for her in the next 12 months, it isn’t the Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup this year but certainly next year and maybe the year after that.”
Via Sistina is the $2.50 favourite for the Turnbull with Bet365, ahead of Aeliana at $4.80.
