James McDonald and Chris Waller’s unstoppable Sydney team tied two of Australian racing’s treasured records when Aeliana notched a dramatic win in the Group 1 $1 million Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Aeliana provided McDonald with his 129th lifetime Group 1 victory, levelling the benchmark for Australian-resident jockeys established by Damien Oliver of the Hall of Fame.
The pair also attained their 54th collaborative Group 1 result, mirroring the feat of fabled partners George Moore and Tommy Smith.
The champion rider and Hall of Fame conditioner outright claimed both marks 35 minutes subsequently via Autumn Boy in the Group 1 $750,000 Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
Although her stablemate Lindermann threatened to dampen the mood by making the mare labour hard, Aeliana orchestrated the perfect start to McDonald and Waller’s big day.
The jockey revealed the short neck score was “not how the script’s supposed to go” regarding his 129th Group 1 record match.
“Aeliana is just incredible, her tenacity to find the line was just superb,” McDonald said.
“She’s been building to something like that and I’ve got to give credit to the second horse because they made us work.
“Nash (Rawiller, rider of Lindermann) is a genius when it comes to race tempo. He got things on his own terms, and Damian (Lane, rider of Trinity College) was just sitting off him the whole way.
“It wasn’t ideal, that’s for sure, because he had a picnic up in front. But I was on a good horse and she deservedly won that one.”
Aeliana, sent off at $1.60, required the full Rosehill straight to collar the resilient front-runner Lindermann ($16), winning by a short neck to deliver Waller a further Group 1 quinella.
Sir Delius ($3) under Craig Williams tracked Aeliana closely and loomed as the danger on the corner but was unable to quicken, beaten by just over a length for third.
Waller hit his 190th Group 1 career milestone and noted Aeliana truly had to “fight for it” as Slipper Day fans erupted watching the barnmates clash thrillingly.
“The crowd was awesome, that’s what racing’s all about,” Waller said.
“These great horses being everyone together to enjoy the sport and that was a great spectacle.
“He’s (Lindermann) a good horse on his day and I think Nash controlled the race really well.
“Aeliana had to be good to win and obviously Sir Delius on our back, that gave me a bit of a scare when he came with us.
“But you could just see, they sort of broke clear of him and then it was a fight between the stablemates.
“It didn’t really matter who won but obviously for James today – it’s a big one.”
Starting with Delectation for their debut Group 1 in 2015, Waller and McDonald’s haul of 54 in 11 years stands as phenomenal.
“I’m just lucky to train lots of good horses and have an association with a terrific young man,” Waller said.
Winless this preparation after her Derby rout entering the Ranvet, Aeliana had filled second in four Group races trailing the likes of Via Sistina and Autumn Glow, making her Group 1 conquest a favourite and rightful outcome.
Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds campaigns Aeliana, furthering the premier syndicator’s Golden Slipper Day legacy.
Martin’s brilliant colt Sebring landed the 2008 Golden Slipper, and now Aeliana joins as her third Ranvet Stakes winner with Theseo doubling up in 2009-10.
A quick turnaround into the Group 1 $1.5 million Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill next Saturday has not been discounted by Waller.
“I’m not sure about the Tancred but the distance is no problem,” Martin said.”A seven-day back-up isn’t ideal but I will see how a few others go today and then we will try to map it all out tomorrow.”
Rawiller praised Lindermann’s “amazing performance” for his fighting second.
“He picked himself up off the canvas there at the 100m and really rallied,” Rawiller said.
“I thought for a stride we could worry her out of it but she is a top mare in her own right.”
Rider Craig Williams of Sir Delius targets the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 11 at Royal Randwick.
“Sir Delius is flying,” Williams said.”The winner beat us by three and a bit lengths the other day so we shortened that margin down to about a length.”He felt like he still has more racing improvement to come on and he’s right in line for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes now.”
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