Aeliana goes one better to win Tancred as Walker’s Belle proves picture perfect

Premier trainer Chris Waller said Aeliana “might be the new Verry Elleegant” after she went one better than the late champion when running down a gallant UK veteran Dubai Honour to claim the Ranvet-Tancred Stakes double on Saturday at Rosehill.

Aeliana was set a massive task by the defending Tancred Stakes champion when jockey Tom Marquand took off on the William Haggas-trained star approaching the turn. The eight-year-old looked to have stolen the race, opening up a huge lead, before Aeliana lifted late to win the 2400m test by a short head.

The four-year-old mare produced a similar effort a week earlier to run down stablemate Lindermann in the Ranvet (2000m).

In completing the seven-day back-up to claim the group 1 double, Aeliana bettered 11-time group 1 winner Verry Elleegant, which was second in the 2020 Ranvet before dominating the Tancred as a four-year-old mare.

Waller was unsure if Aeliana would race on to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in two weeks.

“The next two years, she’s not going anywhere, it’s going to be exciting because she’s still maturing, she might be the new Verry Elleegant,” Waller said.

“She’ll be in the stable, she’ll be cheering Autumn Glow on [in the Queen Elizabeth], she might be ready to throw a jersey on herself.”

Haggas assistant Issy Paul was proud of the effort of Dubai Honour, which will contest the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

“He’s so tough that you can kind of do anything with him. He’s amazing,” Paul said of the bold front-running tactics.

Belle picture perfect for Walker

New Zealand trainer Mark Walker thought he had lost another tight photo-finish with Belle Cheval, before surviving a protest, to break his Sydney duck in group 1 fashion at Rosehill on Saturday in the Vinery Stud Stakes.

Walker, who has more than 30 group 1 wins, in a career including 11 years in Singapore, has rarely brought a horse to Sydney and was yet to have a victory here before Belle Cheval held off Dominic Sutton-trained After Summer by a nose.

After Summer’s connections protested and jockey Billy Egan argued contact from Zac Lloyd-ridden Belle Cheval on the turn cost his mount a length and an abrupt shift out from the eventual winner into his path at the 200m cost them even more. The protest was dismissed, giving Walker a group 1 double on the day after Seize The Day won the Sires’ Produce at Trentham.

Walker, who had been second in Sydney group 1s with Princess Coup and King’s Chapel, said he thought initially it was a repeat of Belle Cheval’s loss to Well Written in the $4 million Kiwi the previous start.

“It was the NZB Kiwi photo all over again,” Walker said. “She just ran around a bit, but it was great for the filly. We had a group 1 at home today and a group 1 here, so it’s a very special day.”

Belle Cheval will now move to Walker’s Cranbourne stable and spell before a spring campaign.

The victory gave Lloyd a fifth career group 1 win, just a week after his Golden Slipper success on Mick Price and Michael Kent jnr-trained Guest House at the track.

Lloyd made it a stakes treble and four wins overall treble on the day when taking Matt Smith-trained Idle Flyer to victory in the group 2 Emancipation Stakes and Price-Kent jnr-prepared Welwal in the group 3 Doncaster Prelude. He won the opener, the Midway, on Annie’s Rose.

Smith said it was all systems go now for the group 1 Queen Of The Turf in two weeks for his four-year-old mare. Welwal is unable to back up in the Doncaster next week because he was not nominated for the $4 million handicap and there is no late entry fee for the race.

A nine-day suspension and $1000 fine for excessive whip use capped a frustrating day for Egan. The Victorian jockey hit Emancipation Stakes runner-up Blindedbythelight 11 times before the 100m, six more than permitted. Egan was also second in the Doncaster Prelude aboard Feroce, making it a hat-trick of runner-up efforts behind Lloyd in group races.

John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Roselyn’s Star, with Regan Bayliss aboard, won the group 3 Star Kingdom to end the program.

Rich Waller import upstaged

Chris Waller was weighing up a potential Doomben Cup campaign with Wootton Verni after he stole the show from high-priced stablemate Barnavara in the group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m).

The focus was on the Australian debut of import Barnavara, a group 1 winner in France bought by Yulong for $10 million, but the $1.70 favourite was ridden back after a poor start and never threatened off a slow tempo to finish fourth. Wootton Verni kicked away for an easy win over UK raider Caviar Heights after racing on speed.

Waller said the plan was to run Wootton Verni in Saturday’s Tancred Stakes before a below-par effort last start prompted a drop back in grade.

He said Wootton Verni could go to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in two weeks or instead head to Queensland and “maybe a Doomben Cup”.

“Once he finds his form, as we saw last year, he can put a couple together,” Waller said.

As for Barnavara, which is nominated for the Queen Of The Turf and Queen Elizabeth, Waller said he would “see how she pulls up”.

Southend delivers on promise

Trainer Gerald Ryan was eyeing the group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 18, and hopefully another wet track, with Southend even before he powered to victory in the group 3 Baillieu Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill.

The Palace Pier colt, a $425,000 yearling buy for Ryan and co-trainer Sterling Alexiou, backed up a last-to-first win on debut in the 1300m Paul Perry 2YO Handicap at Newcastle with a one and a quarter-length victory on a soft 7, both with Dylan Gibbons aboard.

Ryan said the stable was confident Southend would thrive on wet ground.

“Dylan rode him last Saturday morning with a mate and he worked terrific in the soft ground, then Tuesday morning it was heavy and he worked enormous,” Ryan said.

“He’s out of a So You Think mare, who was a three-quarter sister to Celts, which was undefeated on wet ground.”

Ryan quipped post-race to trainer John O’Shea, “Did you back it?” before adding with a laugh, “he was the losing bidder” on the colt.

Hayes talent puts Derby in sights

Lindsay Park appears set to pay the $44,000 late fee to the ATC Derby after Storm Leopard raced away with the group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m).

Storm Leopard ($4.20) surged clear to beat $81 shot Eureka Rebel by one and three-quarter lengths and open the door to next Saturday’s group 1 Derby at Randwick.

Co-trainer Ben Hayes said Storm Leopard was taken out of nominations for the Derby and was set to head to the South Australian Derby before raising his level.

“We were going to go to Adelaide but then we changed plans when he started to go so well, it will be a good discussion to have, but if he pulls up well it’s definitely that will be considered,” Hayes said.

The race was marred by the death of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained favourite Arcora, which pulled up mid-race with a leg injury and was euthanised.