By Craig Kerry
Top trainer Chris Waller has settled for the easier group 1 target with Fangirl after weighing up the prospect of pitting the six-year-old mare against stable superstar Via Sistina in the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on day two of the Championships at Randwick on Saturday.
Fangirl, a three-time group 1 winner with earnings of more than $9.3 million, has long been the favourite for the $1 million Queen Of The Turf on Saturday against her own sex over the mile, but she also a surprise acceptor for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Tuesday.
Jason Collett rides Fangirl to victory in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick.Credit: Getty Images
“Obviously she is best placed in the Queen Of The Turf because her form over a mile is very, very good, and she has to go to a career-best to win the Queen Elizabeth,” Waller said before making the call late on Wednesday.
“If she runs up to her best [in the Queen Of The Turf], she probably needs others to lift to her level, so that’s the obvious race, but in saying that, what else more has she got to prove? And what does the Queen Of The Turf do to her resume? Probably not much.”
Jason Collett was booked to ride Fangirl in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Wednesday, raising the possibility of her running in the headline race.
However, the Ingham family-owned star will run in the mares group 1 where James McDonald has the ride. She was a $1.95 favourite with Sportsbet for the Queen Of The Turf, while Via Sistina was a $1.80 top elect with McDonald aboard to take out the Queen Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, Waller said last Saturday’s Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) winner Belle Detelle was no guarantee to back up in the $1 million group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) on Saturday, despite accepting with her for the race.
Waller said last Saturday that Belle Detelle and Australian Derby winner Aeliana were unlikely to back up in the Oaks, where star Victorian filly Treasurethe Moment was the $1.60 favourite.
He did not accept with Aeliana, which has gone for a spell, and he was unsure if Belle Detelle, a $9 chance with Tommy Berry to ride, would run.
“She has come through it well, but we won’t make a definite decision until Saturday morning as to whether she runs,” he said.
“I said on Saturday after the race that she would be unlikely and would probably go to Queensland, and she has to be spot on on Saturday morning to convince me to run her.”
Also on Wednesday, Gavin Bedggood-trained Jennilala was scratched from the Queen Of The Turf, and Paul Murray’s Welcometobarbados was withdrawn from the $1 million Provincial-Midway Championship Final after pulling up lame. The $700 buy was one of the leading hopes for the race after winning the Newcastle qualifier on March 1.
