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By Ray Hickson

Apollo Launches Winx-like Autumn For Fangirl

Chris Waller has laid out the Winx path for superstar mare Fangirl after she produced a very Winx-like performance and dominated the Group 2 Petaluma Apollo Stakes at Randwick.

Even the champion trainer conceded the way James McDonald was motionless on Fangirl up the rise and the ease with which she strode out was reminiscent of his former champion.

James McDonald and Fangirl (Pic: Steve Hart)

But that’s as far as it goes. And with UK trainer William Haggas announcing that Dubai Honour won’t be returning to Sydney to defend his Queen Elizabeth Stakes crown, due to a setback, Waller sees a chance for Fangirl.

“She has got bigger, heavier, and we’ve seen with mares in the past they keep improving,’’ Waller said.

“(Dubai Honour) not coming out is a big help. I feel for him and his connections, he’s such a competitive trainer and gets his horses right. He makes us lift our game a bit.”

Fangirl will head to the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (ex-Chipping Norton), then the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes and into the Queen Elizabeth on Day 2 of the Star Championships – the same program Winx followed in both 2017 and 2019.

“She’s come back very well, we won’t get too far ahead of ourselves,’’ Waller said.

“It was good to see a few people appreciating who she is, it’s a good little feeling when they come back like that and get appreciated by the crowd.”

While Fangirl was dominant, Waller was more than pleased with both runner-up Militarize, who he says is on target for the Randwick Guineas in three weeks, and import Buckaroo’s late burst from near the tail of the field.

“It’s tough running against the likes of Fangirl, there’s nothing like weight for age races to season a horse,’’ he said.

Todman To Be Round 2 For Class Colts

There’ll be a rematch between Golden Slipper hopefuls Switzerland and Shangri La Express in next month’s Group 2 Todman Stakes after round one went to the Chris Waller-trained colt.

Trainer Adrian Bott (Pic: Bradley Photos)

But Shangi La Express’s co-trainer Adrian Bott said his colt was far from disgraced in being reeled in late by Switzerland and is already looking forward to the March 9 return clash.

“For where he’s at in his preparation I thought that was as good a return as we could have hoped,’’ Bott said.

“He stuck on well and once headed he continued to fight. I’d say it was just race fitness there against the winner who is obviously a class horse.”

Waller said the Pierro Plate win was a learning curve for Switzerland, who had to be sent forward by James McDonald to avoid being caught wide, and was impressed with how he dug in to prevail.

“He hasn’t really been outside a leader before, he does most of his work behind horses and just stays there,’’ Waller said.

“The second horse is no slouch, everyone knows how well Gai and Adrian’s two-year-olds are going at the moment. He made us work the last 100m and I think the penny will start to drop now as we get deeper into our plans.”

Golden Slipper favourite Storm Boy is bound for the Skyline Stakes in two weeks while Bott confirmed Breeders’ Plate winner Espionage and Straight Charge are set to resume in the Group 2 Silver Slipper (1100m) at Rosehill next week.

Pfieffer Leaning To Stakes Test For Whinchat

Whinchat’s fifth career all the way win didn’t do a lot to help trainer David Pfieffer decide where to point the progressive galloper but he’s leaning to a black type target next month.

Whinchat wins at Randwick. (Pic: Steve Hart)

That race is the Listed National Sprint (1400m) at Canberra thought a tilt at the Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships is not off the table.

While Whinchat showed Pfieffer he’s got a bit more fight than just being a one-dimensional leader the trainer still feels he’s best suited when leading and given his barrier manners aren’t yet smooth it could be problematic in the capacity fields the Championships qualifiers attract.

“He’s always maintained a high cruising speed but this preparation we’ve seen him kick off that high cruising speed which I think is taking him to another level,’’ Pfieffer said.

“He’s always shown a lot of talent, he’s obviously got a few quirks with the barriers but as he’s getting older and were all seeing that now. I suppose we keep raising the bar and see how far he takes us.”

Jockey Jay Ford said Whinchat is really “in the zone” this time in and agrees it’s now time to test the gelding out in tougher company.

“It just took him a little time to muster today second-up but once he gets into a nice gliding rhythm he bowls at a nice, gliding, tempo,’’ Ford said.

Strong Nominations For Star Championships

Over 1400 nominations have been taken for The Star Championships including 23 international nominations from top UK, Hong Kong and Japanese stables plus 42 from New Zealand.

While Dubai Honour is unable to return for the Queen Elizabeth, his trainer William Haggas does have an entry for the flagship $5 million race in Mutjaba.

Golden Eagle winner Obamburumai is head back down under for the Group 1 The Star Doncaster MIle and is among seven Japanese nominations for the Randwick mile.

“We are very pleased with the strong support shown by local and international trainers surpassing 1400 nominations for The Championships this year, and we look forward to staging some of the best renewals of time-honored races such as the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and The Star Doncaster Mile,'' said James Ross, ATC Head of Racing and Wagering.

The full list of entries for both days of The Star Championships, April 6 & 13, are availale on the Racing NSW website.

Kimochi Has Portelli Believing In Surround Goal

Pride and relief and the sense that a deserved Group 1 is within Kimochi’s reach were trainer Gary Portelli’s immediate reaction to his filly’s long overdue win in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).

Trainer Gary Portelli (Pic: Steve Hart)

She’ll face another battle with Learning To Fly, who looked set to roll Kimochi again when she loomed from the 200m, but in notching her second career win it gave Portelli heart that the Surround Stakes in two weeks is within reach.

“When the second horse moved up I thought here we go again, we’re going to get beat again, I was ready for the sad story,’’ he said.

“But she fought strongly and we’re in for a big prep.

“She came off the carpet there, I thought she was gone for sure. I love this filly.”

It was a daring ride from Chad Schofield on the runner-up, they drew the outside and he dragged the filly back before stealing runs along the inside.

He pulled her into the clear on the turn and perhaps it was coming off almost year’s break that was the difference given Portelli revealed Kimochi only had two weeks in the paddock after the spring.

Check out the replays and results from Apollo Stakes Day at Royal Randwick