Chris Waller filly Aeliana leaves boys in her wake in Australian Derby demolition

Aeliana produced a stunning performance in the Australian Derby to become just the 10th filly to win the race.

Aeliana strolls to victory in the Group 1 Australian Derby on Day 1 of The Championships at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Aeliana didn’t just beat the boys, she blew them away.

The lone filly of Saturday’s Group 1 $2m Australian Derby (2400m) produced a performance for the ages to deliver the most stunning of Royal Randwick victories on day one of The Championships.

Aeliana gave Derby rivals a galloping lesson in a stunning and unforgettable 5¼-length romp.

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In the process she became just the 10th filly to win the ATC Australian Derby and just the second this century following Shamrocker’s success in 2011.

It was consecutive Derby success for trainer Chris Waller, who won the race for the first time last year with Riff Rocket.

“It’s just unreal,” Waller said.

“We look after them and they are just really starting to mature.

“That was dominant win. I don’t get as emotional these days as I used to but that was really special.

“I was waiting for something to come up with us at the 300m and you could see there were some horses doing there best but when she peeled out with a 100m to go, it was special.”

The Derby goes to the filly! 🤩

Aeliana destroys them in the G1 Australian Derby, and just how good is she?!@cwallerracing | @LaneDamian | @StarTbreds | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/pXfg6xnL1v

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025

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Victorian jockey Damian Lane rode Treasurethe Moment to victory in Tuesday’s Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) before adding the Australian Derby to his resume on another star filly.

Aeliana ($2.20 favourite) never really looked in danger of getting beat.

Lane had her perfectly poised in the one-one position and had hit the front by the time they reached the top of the straight.

Aeliana motored clear late to put a gap on her rivals with Firm Agreement ($21) and Shamwah ($10) rounding out the minor placings.

“She was extraordinary,“ Lane said.

“She left the barriers well, just travelled great from the outset and felt a winner a long way out.”

The champion trainer has had an amazing autumn with fillies, claiming feature success with the likes of Lady Shenandoah, Lazzura and Autumn Glow.

Aeliana is in a different mould to that trio but produced the most dominant display of all of them on day one of The Championships.

“She’s a great filly, she deserved it,“ Waller said.

“She was beaten a nose in the Thousand Guineas, beaten a nose by Broadsiding in the Rosehill Guineas, just two career-making wins.

“It wasn’t becoming frustrating but she deserved it.”

Aeliana is now the $4 second favourite for next Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Australian Oaks but Waller said it would be highly unlikely that his talented filly would back-up and clash with boom talent Treasurethe Moment.

“My job is to look after her and it would be unlikely that she would back-up,” Waller said.

“But wow I can’t wait to the next chapter because she’s a rising star.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Hayes eyes Golden Eagle with Evaporate

Lindsay Park was already eyeing off a tilt at the Sydney’s $10m Golden Eagle in the spring when Evaporate scored a dominant victory at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Evaporate, trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, produced a powerful turn of speed to race away with the Group 3 $250,000 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m).

“There’s a lovely race called the Golden Eagle, which isn’t too bad, and that was a good little taster there,” Ben Hayes said.

“He’s a horse that our stable have a huge opinion, we think he’s probably our next very good horse to come through the system, and winning this race today I think gave us a bit more confidence.

“And hopefully the spring, we can see a proper horse really step out.”

Evaporate extinguishes his rivals in the G3 HKJC @WorldPool Carbine Club Stakes! 🙌@lindsayparkrace | @blake_shinn | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/h3JvxjwCGr

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025

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Jockey Blake Shinn had Evaporate ($3.20) stalking pacesetter Shangri La Spring ($9) with odds-on elect Swiftfalcon ($1.85 favourite) chasing from back in the field.

Swiftfalcon made some ground in the straight but Evaporate was off and gone, scoring by 2¼ lengths with Depth Of Character ($26) the same margin away in third.

“He felt amazing,” Shinn said.

“This is a really good horse.

“He’s proven that he’s on the cusp of Group One level. I think he is a Group One horse in the making.”

A placegetter in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last spring, Evaporate has raced consistently in stakes company throughout this preparation.

He has been to New Zealand and back this campaign after finishing second in the inaugural The Kiwi at Ellerslie last month but got his reward in the Carbine Club Stakes.

The smart son of Per Incanto could get an even bigger reward in the Golden Eagle in the spring.

The Golden Eagle (1500m) is run solely for four-year-olds and will be staged at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, November 1.

Originally published as Chris Waller filly Aeliana leaves boys in her wake in Australian Derby demolition