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By Ray Hickson

A string of placings behind Australia’s best racehorse this autumn says Fangirl has the right credentials to win Saturday’s Group 1 $4m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick but trainer Chris Waller says she’s going to need plenty of luck from a wide gate.

Trainer Chris Waller

The four-year-old, $8.50 with TAB on Friday, has recorded a third in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes and seconds in the Group 1 Chipping Norton and George Ryder Stakes behind Anamoe in three runs back, stretching him to under half a length in the latter.

She gets in with 53.5kg but it’s barrier 19 that concerns Waller. However, since 2009 nine Doncaster winners have jumped from double figure barriers.

“She’s the horse that’s been beaten by the Australian champion at the moment in Anamoe, she’s running second to him in most of her starts,’’ Waller said.

“She did come off a wide draw in the Golden Eagle and ran second. She has a really wide draw again to contend with.

“That makes it tricky for her but with Joao Moreira on board anything is possible.”

A look at the recent Doncaster Mile history might allay some of Waller’s concerns about the draw for Fangirl, and a few of his other runners in the race.

Last year’s winner Mr Brightside jumped from 18, as did 2019 winner Brutal. The Waller trained Kermadec won from 16 in 2015, and stablemate Sacred Falls had 13 when successful a year earlier.

Rosehill Guineas winner Lindermann has 18 to contend with, offset to a degree by carrying just 49kg.

Waller describes his preparation as a little Triple Honour-like. That horse was the trainer’s first of six Doncaster winners back in 2008, the latest was Winx in 2016.

“We know he’s got the class, we know he is sharp enough, he just needs a bit of luck from that wide gate,’’ Waller said.

Phar Lap Stakes winner Zougotcha comes into the race third-up and was a Group 1 winner over the Randwick mile third-up in the spring.

“She’s a very good filly in her own right, she’s won over the mile in the Flight Stakes,’’ he said.

“Her draw is not quite as bad as the other two, again we’re hoping for a bit of luck and a gem of a ride from Kerrin (McEvoy).”

The big unknown of the Waller quintet in the Doncaster is American mare Going Global who will make her Australian debut as the winner of 10 from 17.

She’s a last start Group 2 winner over a mile Santa Anita in October, has drawn barrier four, and has only had the one local trial.

“She doesn’t have the same form going into the race, being first-up, as the others,’’ he said.

“We hope she can bring her international game to Randwick. We haven’t gone through the speed maps just yet but you’d expect she’d be able to hold a forward position.”

Fangirl runs second in the George Ryder

It looked touch and go as to whether smart colt Osipenko would gain a start but the scratching of Kirwan’s Lane on Thursday night opened the door for the three-year-old.

Waller said he will get his chance from the inside gate despite having had an interrupted preparation that saw him miss the Randwick Guineas.

“It was a good run in the George Ryder last start against the older horses after missing a run,’’ he said.

“We were hoping he can force his way into the field because he’s an exciting colt.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 1 of The Star Championships at Randwick