WINNER: I Am Aria Amazing

Short-price favourite I Am Aria (3 f I Am Invincible – Talaria, by O’Reilly) resumed with victory in the A$42,500 Sandhurst Stockfeeds Maiden 3YO Fillies 1000 metres on 12 August at Bendigo (Victoria).

The third win for Te Akau Cranbourne Stable this season, following Stage ‘n’ Screen (Ace High) at Flemington, and Dismantle (Spirit Of Boom) at Bairnsdale, I Am Aria brought form to warrant the $1.60 win price and duly obliged. 

Having debuted last season as a two-year-old with a terrific effort for second in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1000m), and then fighting hard for third in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m), I Am Aria looked good finishing first and second, respectively, in recent jump outs at Cranbourne, and had the services of top Kiwi jockey and former Te Akau apprentice Michael Dee.

Happy to sit outside the leader, I Am Aria proceeded to travel comfortably before going on to lead at the 300m and required hands and heels only in order to score by one and a half lengths.

Although Heavy10 footing was outside her comfort zone, she had the class to handle it at Maiden level and covered 1000 metres in a very respectable 1:00.2 given the conditions.

“It was good to see her resume with such a good win, even though I don’t think she was entirely happy in the track conditions,” said trainer Mark Walker. 

“It was a confident ride by Mick Dee, who took bad luck out of the equation, and she’s certainly a filly that is going places.

“She has grown and matured into a beautifully put together filly, so we’re looking forward to her three-year-old season and having already measured up in stakes races as a two-year-old we’ll be planning more black type targets. 

“The team has worked really hard through the winter to have these horses ready to go early in the season. We’ve had a good start and everyone is looking forward to Spring racing on better ground.”

Owned by the Te Akau Tea Rose Syndicate 1 & 2 (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) I Am Aria was purchased by Sir David Ellis for A$450,000 at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, from the draft of Sledmere Stud.

I Am Aria is by three-time Australian Champion Sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), whose best performer is Te Akau bought and trained Imperatriz, winner of 10 Group One races, NZ Horse of the Year, and World Champion Sprinter. 

Out of a mare by the Champion Broodmare Sire in New Zealand, O’Reilly (Last Tycoon), I Am Aria is from the outstanding Alberton family, that hit the headlines in 2025 when Te Akau filly Damask Rose (Savabeel) won both the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (Restricted Listed, 1600m) and inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (Restricted Listed, 1500m).

Continuing a family tradition of producing quality thoroughbreds, dam Talaria (O’Reilly) impressed when winning a stakes' race on debut over 1200 metres, and unfortunately had her racing career cut short by injury.

Talaria is a sister to Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) winning three-year-old and sire Brutal (O’Reilly), who left two stakes’ winners among his first crop two-year-olds. 

Their dam, Alberton Princess (Golan), was an impressive winner on two occasions over 1400 metres and, including Brutal, left five individual winners of 13 races.

The family is notable for producing a very good line of genuine racehorses that have quickening powers, the likes of impressive four-time winner Alberton Star (Stylish Century), who left seven individual winners of 21 races, and the fast-finishing Group Two winner Sir Alberton (Red Tempo).

At the time of purchasing I Am Aria, Ellis said: 

“She’s a lovely looking filly, all quality, and has great rein and length to her that suggests she will train on to be stunning as a three and four-year-old. 

“But also, the family have the natural ability to perform as two-year-olds. 

“It’s a family that we are having an incredible amount of success with at the moment, and a colonial (New Zealand) bred family that we first bought from in 2008 at Karaka.

“That filly, Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park), Mark Walker trained to win the Group 2 Matamata Breeders Stakes (1200m).” 

Te Akau Rose went on to produce five individual winners of 14 races.

I Am Aria carries a simple and well-balanced cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer, through her sire-lines. 

I Am Aria was strapped by Felecity Mantelone.