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Jockey James McDonald equalled the all-time Group 1 winning record of Damien Oliver thanks to his ride aboard Chris Waller’s odds-on favourite, Aeliana, in the 2026 Ranvet Stakes results at Rosehill on Saturday.

The first of a bumper five elite level races on the Golden Slipper Day card, this year’s Group 1 $1 million Ranvet Stakes (2000m) saw just five horses face off with last year’s five-length ATC Derby winner Aeliana saluting for the punters as the heavily backed $1.60 favourite.

The now four-year-old daughter of Castelvecchio made it three wins on the trot in the weight-for-age showdown by Waller-trained mares following the back-to-back victories by the now retired Via Sistina (2024-25).

In her first turf triumph since her demolition job over the boys as a filly in the ATC Derby last April, Aeliana presented fit third-up and ready to fire after having run second to the stable’s undefeated queen Autumn Glow in her two lead-up runs.

J-Mac, who has now levelled up with the G.O.A.T. Oliver’s Group 1 tally of 129 with more to come, allowed the top fancy to settle back in the run with Aeliana switching off beautifully maintaining her composure and saving herself for a big effort on the home straight.

“She’s just incredible,” McDonald said of the Ranvet Stakes winning mare.

“Her tenacity to find the line was just superb.

“She’s been building to something like that and I’ve got to give credit to the second horse because they made us work.

“I was thinking, this is not how the script’s supposed to go.”

She was sitting second last approaching the final turn as the also Waller-trained Lindermann ($16) led the diminutive Ranvet field around.

Going to the outside after cornering, Aeliana was stoked up before she began to close in, ranging up beside the front-runner inside the final furlong and then lifting under a gun ride by McDonald to narrowly get to the line a quarter-length ahead of Lindermann who didn’t give up without a fight while the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Sir Delius ($3) crossed a length back third.

“She was made to fight for it. He’s (Lindermann) a good horse on his day and I think Nash (Rawiler) controlled the race really well,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-victory.

“She had to be good to win and obviously Sir Delius on our back, that gave me a bit of a scare when he came with us.

“But you could just see, they sort of broke clear of him and then it was a fight between the stablemates.

“It didn’t really matter who won but obviously for James today – it’s a big one; it’d be good to get that (record) out of the way if we can.”

The trifecta had a huge gap on the remaining two runners as the Waller-trained Trinity College finished fourth some seven lengths beaten with Alalcance completing the finishing order.

Waller said a potential seven-day back-up into the Group 1 $1.5 million Tancred Stakes (2400m) back at the Rosehill track, while not ideal, could be on the cards now for Aeliana who is already proven at the mile and a half.

“Not sure, but the distance is no problem,” he said.

“A seven day back up isn’t ideal. I want to see how few others go today. See where they’re heading, and then try and map it all out tomorrow.”

Avilius (2019) was the last horse to complete the Ranvet Stakes / Tancred double, and the bookies are taking no chances with Aeliana who has firmed from $4.50 to $2.60 co-favouritism with Dubai Honour in futures Tancred Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.

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