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By Ray Hickson

Tactics will play a big role in the outcome of the Group 1 $1m TAB Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday and jockey Jason Collett hopes he can be in a position to steal James McDonald’s thunder on classy mare Fangirl.

Jockey Jason Collett (Pic: Bradley Photos).

For the past 18 months or so McDonald has been Fangirl’s regular rider but, with the emergence of Via Sistina, Collett made the perfect debut on the mare as she scored an impressive first-up Apollo Stakes win two weeks ago.

That race turned into a sprint home and Fangirl was in the right spot to capitalise and keep Kerrin McEvoy on Via Sistina to his inside.

Collett feels his best chance for a repeat win over a mile, with McDonald taking over on his rival, is a prime position in running.

“She strikes pretty much the same field, she’s drawn underneath them this time so ideally I’d like to be in front of them,’’ Collett said.

“If I can do that again that will give me a really good chance of beating them again.

“Chris (Waller) has said if it’s a genuinely run mile it will play into the hands of Via and Ceolwulf but if it’s a slowly run race it’ll be in her favour.”

Fangirl, $3.20 with TAB on Friday, was able to dictate where Via Sistina was in the run in the Apollo and when she sprinted with a 10.53 (Punter’s Intelligence) from the 400m-200m she left her stablemate standing.

There’s likely a slightly different scenario this time around, while Lindermann is again expected to lead, as Collett alluded he’s drawn inside Via Sistina so is aware the tables could be turned.

“Where I was positioned was right where I needed to be,’’ he said.

“I was in front of them, Via was stuck underneath me and had to wait for me to go and Ceolwulf was behind so he had to make up the ground which was the difference in the end.”

Two of Fangirl’s most dominant wins have come at the Randwick mile in the King Charles III Stakes and 7 Stakes in the past two springs.

Collett’s chances of a second Group 1 win on Manaal in the $750,000 The Chase Surround Stakes (1400m) took a hit when the filly drew wide.

He said while on face value Manaal was disappointing when beaten 4-1/2 lengths by Lady Shenandoah first-up in the Light Fingers he feels she’s turned the corner.

“Knowing where she was fitness wise I was initially probably a bit disappointed but on review I wasn’t and after her gallop on Tuesday she’s back where we want her,’’ he said.

“We were hoping for a better barrier but it’s gone the other way, it’s going to make the job difficult.

“If she can win and overcome the barrier it adds merit to the win.”

Barriers on the whole weren’t kind to Collett this weekend, aside from Manaal he drew 10 of 10 on Rivellino in the Skyline Stakes, nine of nine on Olentia in the Guy Walter and 12 of 15 on Within The Law in the Sweet Embrace.

Fangirl wins the Apollo Stakes

Jason Collett on Rivellino (race 4): “He held me off last start when I was on Within The Law, I was mowing him down late but he’s a nice pick up. The wide gate makes things a bit more difficult but he’s a winner, he’s shown he knows how to win which is what I like.”

On Within The Law (race 5): “She ran (Rivellino) to a half length, he just drew that one barrier inside me and was able to take that spot one pair inside me and that was the difference. Going to 1200m is going to suit her, her work on Tuesday was really good too so I’m really happy with her.”

On Olentia (race 6): “It was a great run, she gets out to probably more her distance at 1400m. I didn’t draw overly well with her either so hopefully the track starting playing her way near the end of the day.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick