Trainer Adrian Bott anticipates the Ranvet Stakes will deliver a thrilling Aeliana-Sir Delius duel, buoyed by the precise three-week freshen-up positioning his charge ideally.
Sir Delius trails only the ATC Australian Derby winner from last year, the short-priced elect, at $3.30 for the 2000m Saturday test, standing alone as the credible challenger.
After heading markets for the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup last spring, the Tulloch Lodge gelding met controversy when mandatory vet protocols barred his Victorian engagements.
His February 28 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) third to Autumn Glow and Aeliana signalled a strong recommencement following almost five months’ rest, with Bott praising the ensuing conditioning gains.
“Three weeks, it has been that real sweet spot to get him to where we need him to be stepping out to 2000,” Bott said.
“He is out to his right trip now, and he has shown the necessary improvement. I’m ready to see him bounce back.”
The depth of Aeliana’s task for Sir Delius isn’t lost on Bott, given her impressive opening brace this time in.
Runner-up to Autumn Glow in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) en route to Verry Elleegant, she’s out to rectify a desperately unlucky second to Broadsiding in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) 12 months prior.
To match Aeliana, Bott insists Sir Delius channel the brilliance of his spring Group 1 Underwood and Turnbull double.
“The mare was very sharp last start, and she has been excellent this campaign,” he said.
“We’re going to need to recapture that spring form to be getting to that point of beating her, but I do feel he’s on his way there.”
Alalcance shares stable colours and accepts in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) plus Manion Cup (2000m) underneath.
Campaldino’s Manion commitment leaves the limited Ranvet as appealing territory for the mare to notch elite black-type via a strong placing.
“A smaller field at weight-for-age level, it might be a chance for her to try to improve her value with some black type, and she is very good around that 2000 metres,” he said.
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