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By Ray Hickson

Champion trainer Chris Waller says there’s no doubt James McDonald will have to tread a fine line between keeping Pride Of Jenni within range and riding Fangirl within her comfort zone if they’re to pull off a royal repeat at Randwick on Saturday.

James McDonald and Chris Waller with the King Charles III trophy. (Pic: Grant Guy).

The defending champ in the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) faces the prospect of conceding Australia’s current Horse Of The Year a big start and that’s something she wasn’t able to do in their only meeting a year ago.

That was in the Champions Mile and Pride Of Jenni led, as you’d expect, with Fangirl settling some 12-15 lengths off her in last place before running into fourth beaten 2.6 lengths.

Waller said it’s not going to be an easy task but is confident Fangirl produces her best when the tempo is strong.

“For me a horse like Pride Of Jenni shows you have to have a very fit horse to beat her,’’ Waller said.

“The horse is going to have to be in a race they haven’t been used to. Basically running on a red line the whole length of the race.

“What Pride Of Jenni brings is a different style of racing, I think Fangirl is ready for it. She’s a really fit, athletic horse, and the more pace I think will ensure she finishes off even better.

“We still need to respect you’ve got to ride your horse in its comfort zone.

“At the same time I’ll be saying to James McDonald, not that I need to, he’ll certainly be locking Pride Of Jenni in his sights.”

Fangirl, $4 with TAB on Thursday, was third-up when she won the King Charles last year and when she met Pride Of Jenni it was her fifth run of the campaign.

Waller said he couldn’t be happier with how she went about her win in the 7 Stakes (1600m) a month ago and so long as the track remains soft or better he expects her to be a lot harder for the favourite to beat.

“We saw last start that she bounced back with a brilliant win,’’ he said.

“She loves Randwick, she’s won the race, and she’s as fit as we can have her. She’s a confident horse.

“It’s an interesting race with Pride Of Jenni in there, she came to Sydney in the autumn and was unbelievably good. But when Fangirl has been beaten it’s often been a lack of tempo so I think it will suit her."

Joliestar represents Waller in the Group 1 $20 million TAB Everest (1200m) and he says the mare has had the kind of preparation for the race that’s conducive to producing her best.

She was a brilliant winner first-up of the Group 3 Show County (1200m) in August before being beaten two lengths by Everest rival Sunshine In Paris in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m) three weeks later.

That run convinced Waller that if Joliestar is to win an Everest it’ll be off the kind of break he’s been able to give her.

“She is brilliant fresh, we saw that in the autumn when she beat the best three-year-olds fresh up,’’ he said.

“This preparation she was brilliant fresh after her spell so we’ve gone back to that theory with five weeks between runs.

“We thought going into the race fresh would give her the best chance.”

Fangirl wins the 7 Stakes

McDonald also rides Joliestar, as he did first-up, and Waller said drawing barrier four means she won’t have to do any work early in the race.

“The barrier draw is crucial for any horse, what barrier four means is the horse can jump and be comfortable,’’ he said.

“It will allow James McDonald to have Joliestar in a nice rhythm, it’s the key to being able to finish off the race.

“She’s very talented horse, she’s still lightly traced and still improving. Hopefully we haven’t found the ceiling with her yet and maybe we will see a glimpse of that on Saturday.”

All the fields, form and replays for TAB Everest Day at Royal Randwick