Fangirl proved herself the most likely to take up the mantle of mighty mare Winx with a stunning win in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Racecaller Darren Flindell declared “Fangirl trounces them”, and jockey James McDonald, whose only move on the mare was a glance to the right as he went by, said “it felt like an exhibition gallop”.
James McDonald (cerise silks) shows with this glance to the inside that he has the opposition covered in the Apollo. Credit: Getty
The Chris Waller-trained Fangirl ($2.10 fav) settled back in the field behind the hot pace set by Attractable in the group 2 feature over 1400m.
But when McDonald peeled wide without cover on the home turn, the King Charles Stakes winner cruised up to the field with the arrogance of Waller’s champion mare Winx and sauntered to a 2½-length win.
Stablemate Militarize ($6.50) made it a Waller quinella, and Kerry Parker’s grand campaigner Think It Over ($7.50) was another half-length away in third.
“She’s come back very well, but we won’t get too far ahead of ourselves,” Waller said of the five-year-old mare. “It’s good to see a few people actually appreciating who she is. That’s a good little feeling when they come back like that and they get appreciated by the crowd.
“The last 12 months she’s come back better. What we saw in the King Charles was pretty special, and she’s the real deal.”
Waller said Fangirl would go to the Chipping Norton, and then possibly the George Ryder and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Jockey James McDonald, who rode four winners on the day, drew comparisons with another champion in summing up the win. “It felt like I was on Dundeel in the Derby again … just sidle up the rise and basically felt like an exhibition gallop really for her.”
J-Mac spoilt for choice
Premier jockey James McDonald is well and truly in the Golden Slipper hot seat after piloting Coolmore colt Switzerland to an impressive win in the Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick.
McDonald was also named this week as the new jockey for Slipper favourite Storm Boy, which the global racing and breeding giant Coolmore bought in a deal worth a potential $50 million.
Switzerland in the dark blue Coolmore silks gets to Shangri La Express in the Pierro Plate at Randwick.Credit: Getty
Switzerland is now unbeaten in two starts, and he firmed from $8 into $6 as second favourite behind the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott trained Storm Boy ($3) for the $5 million two-year-old dash for cash at Rosehill on March 23.
McDonald rode Storm Boy for the first time in a winning Rosehill barrier trial on Thursday and is poised to partner the colt in the Skyline Stakes. He was impressed with Switzerland after admitting he had set him a task in his first race ride on the Chris Waller-trained colt.
McDonald said the plan had been to “get back and get home” on Switzerland, but he had given him a squeeze out of the barriers and “ended up in no-man’s land” outside the leader, the Waterhouse-Bott galloper Shangri La Express.
But Switzerland ($1.65) drew level at the 200m marker and proved too strong for Shangri La Express ($3.90), which battled on gamely. Extreme Diva ($26) got home will for third.
“It just shows how good he is,” McDonald said. “He was in foreign territory there outside the leader, but he got away with it despite being in a position he has never been in before.”
Waller said it was “early days” with Switzerland. “We are just waking him up,” he said. “The second horse is no slouch, and we all know how good Gai and Adrian’s two-year-olds are going. He hasn’t been wound down yet. The grand final is still a few weeks away, and that’s the Slipper.”
King for a day
King Of Sparta made the most of the top-line sprinters being in Melbourne for the Lightning Stakes to claim a group 2 victory in the Expressway (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
King Of Sparta sprints home in the Expressway at Randwick on Saturday.Credit: Getty
Malkovich ($13) opened up a big break after barrier rise, which left noted leader Coal Crusher in the unfamiliar role of doing the chasing. Coal Crusher ($10) got to Malkovich, but James McDonald timed his run nicely on King Of Sparta ($4) to overhaul that pair late. Odds-on favourite Buenos Noches settled last and got home for fourth without ever looking the winner.
The win earned King Of Sparta, which won the Magic Millions Sprint last start in December, a shot at The Quokka in Perth.
“He’s in great form,” co-trainer Paul Snowden said. “As we’ve handled him the last few years, it’s really working with him. Little breaks in between; less is more for him. He’s certainly paying us the dividends now.”
The Snowden stable also landed the group 3 Tressady Stakes at Flemington with Revolutionary Miss.
Later, Australasia’s star sprinter Imperatriz was made to work for her Lightning win by Joe Pride’s gallant Private Eye. The pair squared off in a stirring finish before the Kiwi mare got home by a half-neck.
Maher targets Coolmore with Semana
Ciaron Maher will give Semana a shot at a group 1 in the Coolmore Classic after a strong win in the group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Randwick yesterday.
Magic Millions Cup winner Semana ($4.40) had a half-length to spare on the unlucky Olentia ($2.60 fav), with C’est Magique ($5) another length away in third.
Jason Collett rides Semana (right) to victory in the Triscay Stakes.Credit: Getty
Tommy Berry was forced to take a needle-eye rails run after being snookered and probably should have won. A protest against the winner for interference was dismissed.
“She just keeps delivering,” Maher said of Semana. “Hopefully there’s a bit more in store too. We’re taking her to the Coolmore Classic in four weeks’ time. It’s a handicap and the distance will suit.”
Kimochi breaks through
Kimochi broke through after a string of minor placings in big races for a deserved win in the group 2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick.
Kimochi ($6.50) held off Learning To Flying ($4.20 fav), which was returning from an injury sustained in the Golden Slipper, in a ding-dong finish to the 1200m feature for fillies.
“When the second horse moved up I thought ‘here we go again’,” trainer Gary Portelli said. “I was ready for the sad story, but she fought strongly and we’re in for a big prep … I love this filly.”
The right note
Trainer Anthony Cummings declared Martial Music “probably about the fastest horse I have ever had in terms of raw speed” after the first-up specialist scored a dominant win in the Midway Handicap (1000m) at Randwick.
Martial Music ($4.20 fav) raced three wide without cover under Chad Schofield but cruised up to the leaders and won going away from Mad Darcey ($5) and Rebel Dean ($4.40) on the soft 5 track.
“He hasn’t always helped himself at times and hasn’t been able to finish off races. He isn’t the easiest horse to deal with, but when he gets it right you can see he’s very good.”
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