Her spring featured a bold challenge to Via Sistina first time back, second to only Mr Brightside thereafter, and a start in the Cox Plate, but Aeliana left trainer Chris Waller wanting more off the track.

Trackwork and races showed promise, yet the master trainer felt she wasn’t visually up to snuff.

“She ate well through the spring, her bloods were good, but she never looked well,” Waller said.

“She looked light.”

Unfazed in appetite or ability, Waller attributed it to ongoing physical development.

Time away has seen her return approximately 15kg increased and aesthetically improved.

“I’m much happier. She’s perfect,” he said.

“She will be very hard to beat on Saturday, as we saw first-up in the Winx (Stakes) last spring. She almost beat Via (Sistina).

As long as we didn’t overtax her. That’s my only fear, but there was no sign of it. We pulled up after the Cox Plate, and she was a bit unlucky there.”

Saturday’s Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick sees the stable represented by six, highlighted by Aeliana, mare Autumn Glow, and gelding Lindermann.

Waller rates those three highest, with Wootton Verni, Soul Of Spain, River Of Stars to take positives from the outing.

The favourite Autumn Glow leads betting, then Aeliana third, Lindermann fourth after his spring trio of wins from five.

Punters should watch Lindermann closely, ridden by Nash Rawiller.

“He’s pretty forward because first and second-up is his chance to beat the better ones,” Waller said.

“You’ve got Nash on, there’s always a Nash factor. He can always pull something out of his hat.”

Assess the Apollo Stakes via betting markets for the race on leading sites.

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