Fangirl out to make amends
Third first-up in Winx Stakes, Chris Waller’s smart mare can go two better in 7 Stakes
As one of the kick-off points to the Sydney Everest Carnival, the7 Stakes (1,600m) at Randwick promises to deliver an exhilarating showdown on Sept 21.
Slated as Race 7 at 1.55pm Singapore time on the Australia race card, the A$1 million (S$880,000) race is also a key lead-up to the prestigious Group 1 King Charles III Stakes run over the same Randwick mile on Oct 19.
Among the leading hopes in the small eight-horse field (Zardozi is scratched) is a trio of mares all prepared by Sydney premier trainer Chris Waller, headlined by Fangirl, one of the best horses in Australia.
Punters got their fingers burned at the Sebring six-year-old mare’s first-up run in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1,400m) on Aug 24, but she went down fighting and did not lose a lot in defeat in her third to stablemate Via Sistina.
If there is a chink in the armour, it is her wide draw (eight). She will give away a little bit of a headstart.
But with her electric turn of foot, dry track and the Randwick mile, it may not be such a disadvantage.
If the Winx runs between Fangirl looping the field and Via Sistina pinching the shortcuts home on the fence are swopped, maybe the results are swopped, too.
Rewinding back to her last campaign, the Inghams’ mare’s biggest career win came in the 2023 King Charles III where she was utterly dominant, brilliant on the clock.
Stablemate and Winx Stakes runner-up Zougotcha is always underrated, but she makes her own luck and has tactical speed.
It is an advantage at Group 1 level where she can put herself into the race. Getting out to the mile, she can turn the tables.
Among the horses who have come up against each other in previous runs, the third Waller, Hinged, has unfortunately often played bridesmaid.
She has not won in more than two years, but she came close at her last start when outbobbed by Buckaroo in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1,600m) on Sept 7.
Nash Rawiller staying on is a good pointer. She goes well, she just needs that extra killer instinct.
French import Royal Patronage kicked off his Australian career for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with a surprising Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1,400m) win on Sept 7. He is being thrown in at the deep end, but the market respects him.
The other A$1 million feature is Group 2 The Shorts (1,100m), a prelude to The Everest. It goes off as Race 9 at 1.35pm Singapore time.
Leading trainer Ciaron Maher’s I Am Me may well double the dose after his impressive win in its prelude, the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1,000m) on Sept 7.
Other candidates to keep an eye on are Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot and defending champion Private Eye, while the value bet is Mumbai Muse for ex-Kranji trainer Michael Freedman.
Sky Racing
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