Horses that are suited to staying tests of 2000 metres and above are generally thought to need time to develop. If they run as two-year-olds at all it is likely to be in June or July, just before they turn three.
So Aristia, the winner of the VRC Oaks lead-up, the Wakeful Stakes, might be something of a throwback to the times when trainers got their best two-year-olds up and ready to race early.
Aristia ridden by Damian Lane (yellow cap) wins race 2 the Mumm Wakeful Stakes during the AAMI Victoria Derby Day.Credit:aap
The daughter of Lonhro wasn't exactly a precocious type who showed lots of ability early in her career – her victory in the group 2 Wakeful on Derby Day was her first win at her tenth race start.
But she was forward enough to contest a 1000-metre two-year-old race at The Valley before Christmas last year, when she showed signs of ability to run third on debut.
Her trainers, Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, told the First Light Racing syndicate who own her that the filly (out of the group winning mare Nakaaya) would be shown to better advantage as a three-year-old when she got out to longer trips.
And so it proved on Saturday when she received an excellent ride from Damian Lane to win the 2000-metre Wakeful from the Hayes/Dabernig filly Qafila and third-placed El Dorado dreaming, a win that puts her right in the mix for Thursday's 2500 metre Oaks test.
The hot favourite Verry Elleegant, from the all-conquering Darren Weir stable, was the big disappointment of the race, her fifth place finish as close as she got during the race.
Simon Zahra, one of the Matthew Ellerton/Zahra training duo, was full of praise for Lane's ride.
''He rode it ten out of ten, got the lovely run, relaxed beautiful, really got in the race and really let her down. I think the winkers really focused her up today and she hit the line extremely well and on to the Oaks. Race two of the carnival and I reckon you will struggle to get one better.
''I don't think the extra trip will worry her …she's going to sleep at the moment which is good, we have trained her for these two races and on to the Oaks.
''She was an early two-year-old runner for us. We aimed at the Thousand Guineas a long way out, but it looked like she would want a bit more ground. We told the owners that you would see the best of her at 2000 metres and when she has got to that distance that's been the case.
''Its a great day to break the duck. We kept her at this level because we knew she was good enough to win in this company.''
John Allen, who rode the $2.40 favourite Verry Elleegant, tried to put a positive spin on his filly's performance.
''Maybe a little bit disappointing. She jumped out of the gates and switched off a bit better today. When they backed off the tempo she just over-raced a bit, its probably a hard race to make ground in that they didn't go very quick on a firm track.
''Hopefully that will take the edge off her for Thursday… it wasn't the worst lead up run for Thursday.''
Meanwhile, Godolphin colt Ranier's next big target is likely to be the Australian Guineas at Flemington in Autumn after he won the group three Carbine Club Stakes in decisive fashion on Saturday.
Ranier ridden by Hugh Bowman (blue cap) wins from Wild Planet ridden by Dwayne Dunn in Race 1 The Carbine Club Stakes during the AAMI Victoria Derby Day.Credit:aap
At his first start over 1600 metres, the James Cummings trained three-year-old was beautifully ridden by Hugh Bowman after jumping from barrier one.
He only had to move outside one horse in the straight after sitting behind the leader until the home turn and held on to win from Wild Planet and third placed Secret Blaze.
Cummings was impressed with the win as the horse was forced to dig in as Wild Planet, trained by Wayne Hawkes, drew close in the straight.
Ranier now has two wins, four seconds and a third from his seven starts and is going to be hard to beat at Flemington in Autumn.
"He's really starting to string it together," Cummings said.
Ranier is by Lohnro and out of Kanzan, a Peter Snowden trained horse that ran fifth over 1400 metres at the Flemington Carnival exactly nine years to the day.
Bowman won the Carbine Club Stakes for Cummings' grandfather, Bart, on Lunar Rise in 2012 and did not use any petrol on Ranier in the running.
Cummings said he was determined that Ranier should attempt the mile as a good performance at that distance would open up several options as they moved forward.
"I don't think we're out of our depth setting him for a race like the Australian Guineas back here in March," Cummings said.
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