A troubled fifth behind Pisces when on debut on a heavy track at Newcastle, the Hellbent filly Aemelius reversed that decision emphatically when coming from last to break her maiden Saturday’s Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation Hcp (1200m).
Appreciating the ice-cold ride of Alysha Collett, the Annabel Neasham-trained filly rocketed down the centre of the track to defeat the Exceedance gelding Swiftfalcon, who was doing his best work late, by a length with the Frosted gelding Pisces back in third.
“We were confident she would take a step forward. The draw was a concern, but Alysha summed it up very quickly. Gave her a great ride and was strong late,” stable representative Rob Archibald said.
“She’s a beautiful filly with a really nice temperament. She is a smart filly in the making.
A half-sister to the ill-fated Brave Mead, Aemelius was a $130,000 purchase for Triple Crown Syndications from the Attunga Stud draft at the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
She is the eighth winner for the metropolitan winning Galileo mare Mead.
Besides the Group III MRC Manfred Stakes winner Brave Mead (Brave Smash), who won five and placed in six of his 12 starts, Mead is the dam of Listed winner Solemn (Bernardini) and stakes-placed Honeywine (Street Cry).
A half-sister to Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner La Volta, Mead has not had a foal since Aemelius and was covered by Brave Smash (JPN) in December.
Aemelius is the fourth 2-year-old winner of the season for Hellbent, whose smart colt Fully Lit won the $2,000,000 Inglis Millennium (RL) at Randwick in February.
