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By Ray Hickson

Fangirl Earns Audience With King Charles

Chris Waller has the newly minted Group 1 $5m King Charles III Stakes (1600m) on TAB Everest Day earmarked as Fangirl's spring grand final after the mare handed him his 150th Group 1 win in the Winx Stakes.

Fangirl after her Winx Stakes win. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Only Zaaki, in third, prevented it from being an all-Waller finish as the leading trainer prepared four of the first five home but he said after Fangirl spent all last season chasing Anamoe it was a win she richly deserved.

“She’s got her day in the sun again today and it’s a fitting result,’’ Waller said.

“When Zaaki hit the front at the 300m I thought he was home. To peg him back it added credit to her win.”

James McDonald brought the five-year-old with a well timed run down the middle of the Randwick track to deny American mare Princess Grace while Zaaki held on for third.

Waller will now consider the best path to the King Charles III, formerly the George Main, for Fangirl.

“A mile I think is her distance so I’d say that’s high on the radar,’’ he said.

“We normally wait four weeks to go to the George Main now we’ve got six week so I probably would hold Fangirl back from the Chelmsford.”

The return of Think It Over pleased Kerry Parker as he finished a close up sixth while Montefilia recorded the race's fastest final 600m of 33.86 in running eighth.

Is Everest Calling Buenos Noches?

Matthew Smith is a step closer to his goal of finding an Everest slot for his classy sprinter Buenos Noches after an impressive first-up performance in the Group 3 $250,000 Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick.

Buenos Noches takes out the Show County (Pic: Steve Hart).

The four-year-old showed a slick turn of foot over the TAB Everest course under 58.5kg, the win was enough to halve his Everest price to $26, and Smith will now ponder his next step as he waits on any Everest interest.

Buenos Noches clocked 33.63 (Punter’s Intelligence) for his last 600m, including a dashing 10.87 from the 400m-200m), in a race that was only moderately run as he ran past Argentia and Dragonstone.

“He’s a talented horse and we were just hoping he would do that today and hopefully we can end up in an Everest with a bit of luck,’’ Smith said.

“He really quickened up good today. I think there’ll be a few people looking at him now, there’s been a couple of nibbles but nothing as yet.

“That’s where we want to be, we’re on our way, the first box is ticked.”

Smith indicated the entire would likely resurface in two or three weeks, with the Group 2 Theo Marks (1300m) at Rosehill on September 9 a possible next step.

“We’ve got to look now and see what happens with regards to the Everest and work our way back,’’ he said.

There are currently four horses with slots secured in the $20m TAB Everest on October 14 – Giga Kick (James Harron Bloodstock), Mazu (The Star & Arrowfield), Think About It (Newgate/GPI) and I Wish I Win (Trackside Media).

Eduardo Humming For Concorde Return

Joe Pride only has a couple of weeks to wait to answer the burning question he has about sprinting warhorse Eduardo after a rousing trial on Friday.

Trainer Joe Pride (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The 10-year-old is set to kick off another spring in the Group 3 $1m Concorde Stakes (1000m) on September 2, where he’ll likely meet another ageing champ Nature Strip, and that race will tell Pride where Eduardo stands.

“I still don’t know if he can do it again but it won’t be through any lack of desire,’’ Pride said.

“Can he perform at the level he’s done in the past? I don’t know, but the horse is in great order. It comes to a point in their lives when they can’t perform at the top level but I’m not seeing it from him.”

Eduardo looked his usual self winning the 807m trial on his home track with Nash Rawiller in the saddle and it was exactly what his trainer expected.

“He was good, I’m really happy with him. He was there to trial well and he did, he can’t really do much more,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Principessa earned herself a break after posting her second win in the space of four days in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1600m), backing up from a Canterbury victory on Wednesday.

Pride said it’s not his style to back up after a win but the combination of another soft track and the prospect of $82,500 for a Saturday win appealed.

“When a horse is fit and well IK think we get too protective of horses at times in keeping them in their box and waiting for the perfect opportunity for them,’’ he said.

Gai & Adrian Unearth A Princess

The numbers were on Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s side with five runners in the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) and it was Autumn Ballet who struck the first blow in the Darley Princess Series.

Autumn Ballet (Pic: Steve Hart).

Bott sounded an ominous warning for the remainder of the series suggesting he felt Autumn Ballet was one of the more vulnerable of the stable’s quintet.

“I think she has the scope to keep improving particularly as we get out over a bit further,’’ he said.

“That was the only concern. I thought she may be looking for that 1400m/1600m so she’s certainly right on track to go through the series and I think she is only going to get better as we go through the campaign.”

The Princess Series continues with the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) in two weeks followed by the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 16 and the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) on September 30.

Autumn Ballet landed in a trailing position behind favourite Estriella and was able to pick that filly up in the last stride with Gary Portelli’s Kimochi flying into third place.

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus said the race worked out perfectly for him.

“I didn’t expect to be one out one back,’’ he said.

“I was very happy to ride this filly off her work last Saturday. It was pleasing to see her come and get the job done.”

Check out the replays and results from Winx Stakes Day at Randwick