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By Ray Hickson

Jockey Jason Collett is encouraged by similarities in the feel he’s getting from classy mare Aeliana from prior to her stunning autumn as she prepares to make the transition to weight-for-age at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Jason Collett (Pic: Bradley Photos).

While the conditions do pose a question mark, Collett said he was pleased with how the Australian Derby winner went about her business in last weekend’s exhibition gallop.

He also suspects she could be sharp enough to be effective in the Group 1 $1m Winx Stakes (1400m) if she does handle ground she’s never raced on before.

“I think this will no doubt be a huge year for her to see how high she can get and how much improvement she’s made off her three-year-old season,’’ Collett said.

“She was fresh in the yard the other day, she was like that at the start of last campaign so there’s similarities there.

“She’s coming off restricted three-year-old form and it’s always a question mark coming up against weight-for-age.

“Most Derby winners, over 1400m they’d find it far too sharp but I think maybe ten furlongs might be her go in the future.”

Aeliana’s freshness in the yard was also commented on by trainer Chris Waller who said it reminded him of how Lady Shenandoah behaved at the start of her autumn preparation before going on to Group 1 glory and that the gallop is a great way to shake off some nervous energy.

Collett rode Aeliana to her maiden win on a soft 7 track back in September last year and was on board in her first three runs in the autumn prior to the Derby where Damian Lane steered her to victory.

He said from his perspective she’s ready to go and, like most, would love to know prior to the race how she’d cope with the ground.

“Her work was good, she’s a good horse and they all work good like that. I’m happy to be on her going forward into Saturday,’’ he said.

“We’ll learn a lot on Saturday but the track conditions might not paint too clear a picture as well if she doesn’t like it.

“With the amount of rain we’ve had it could be next level heavy or it could cope really well so I don’t know.”

Iron filly Within The Law is another Collett can’t get a confident guide on when it comes to a heavy track but said he can only expect her to run well in the Group 2 $300,000 Sintoro Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m).

She only had the one trial since she ran second in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes in April which Collett said is the only major change from her previous campaign.

“Like a couple of others she missed that second trial due to the wet weather but she didn’t miss a gallop during that period,’’ he said.

“Beside the Golden Slipper she’s not out of the money, she’s a half a head away from being a Group 1 winner over a mile, she’s very good.

“She’s probably better on the outside of horses so hopefully I can get into a position where I can get some room she needs.”

If Manaal is to upset boom mare Autumn Glow in the Group 3 $250,000 Darley Toy Show Quality (1100m) then Collett says it could be in a scenario like Saturday.

The Michael Freedman-trained mare is a Group 1 winner on a heavy track and Collett just hopes now she’s drawn a barrier he can make use of that it’s advantageous to be on the inside.

“Her trials are good coming into it and it just seems to set up nicely in my opinion,’’ he said.

Aeliana's latest trial at Randwick on August 7

“She has won on heavy and that miss over the mile I think was too far.

“She led up over the 1400m and Autumn Glow beat her that time in the Tea Rose so she has the one up there but the 1100m probably suits me better.”

Jason Collett on Narbold (race 10): “He’s going really well, he was a bit tardy to begin the other day so I had to ride him quieter and to be honest it probably suited him. He probably was exposed a bit early the previous start and the winner got a softer run underneath. When he won the other day he was held up for the start of the straight and he sprinted best, he even pulled up a bit when he hit the front.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting