The Ranvet Stakes has been touted as a showdown pitting Aeliana against Sir Delius, with trainer Adrian Bott relying on the three-week gap between starts to ready him for the challenge.
Although last year’s ATC Australian Derby victor is the odds-on choice for Saturday’s 2000m event, Sir Delius stays a solid second favourite at $3.30 and the sole competitor viewed as a true danger.
The Tulloch Lodge gelding had been the top pick for the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup during last spring’s campaign prior to being surprisingly scratched from the Victorian features following failed required vet checks.
His third-place effort behind Autumn Glow and Aeliana in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) on February 28 marked his return after nearly five months away, and Bott noted the gelding derived considerable advantage from that outing.
“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.”
Bott holds no false hopes regarding the challenge Sir Delius confronts from Aeliana, who has shone brightly in her two comeback appearances.
Before the Verry Elleegant, she finished second to Autumn Glow in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) and aims to make amends for a terribly unfortunate runner-up spot to Broadsiding in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on last year’s equivalent card.
Bott even stated that Sir Delius must replicate the performances that secured him the Group 1 pairing of the Underwood and Turnbull Stakes in spring to seriously challenge Aeliana.
“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.”
Stable companion Alalcance holds entries for both the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and the Manion Cup (2000m) as part of the supporting races.
Since promising stayer Campaldino will fly the flag for the stable in the latter, Bott concedes the compact Ranvet lineup offers an enticing prospect for the free-running mare to secure black-type placing in elite company.
“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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