Chris Waller & James McDonald combined with Fangirl ($1.75) claiming a dominant victory in the $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday afternoon.
The three-time Group 1 winning mare was simply too classy for her seven rivals on Saturday, putting the writing on the wall after an excellent return in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) on August 24.
McDonald was happy to take the six-year-old back to last throughout the trip, with a strong tempo courtesy of the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained outsider Major Beel ($51.00) carting across from barrier four.
Zougotcha ($5.00) was sent forward to sit on his hammer, while My Oberon ($26.00) and Royal Patronage ($4.40) slotted into perfect stalking positions midfield.
The leaders quickly came back to the rest of the field, and when James McDonald pulled Fangirl to the centre of the course, it was all over as she showed a superior turn-of-foot, while My Oberon put in the big strides to fill out the quinella.
It was all about the winner in the end, however, with Fangirl justifying the short price with horse racing bookmakers to get her spring campaign back on track.
2024 7 Stakes Replay – Fangirl
Chris Waller spoke for the third time on Saturday afternoon and continued to praise the performance of both jockey and horse.
“She had to give them a good start,” said Waller.
“I was thinking, thank God, we’ve got James (McDonald) aboard.
“So many things go through your mind, whether a jockey or a trainer on race day, and that’s why you’ve got the good jockeys like your Corey Browns and Nash Rawillers, your Kerrins, and I’m lucky they ride for me, and they make my job look a damn lot easier, because it’s not easy.
“We didn’t go out there with any pre-race plan, but just wary that it would be hard to make up ground, but she showed an amazing turn of foot, and she was brilliant. Especially when they’re spinning out a couple of 12 seconds up in front.
“It was terrific, I thought.”
James McDonald was elated with the victory and gave full credit to his mount.
“She’s so good,” said McDonald.
“I wasn’t pleased with the position we’re in today.
“I was looking up, and I was saying, ‘Zougotcha…. Oh! Royal Patronage, beautiful! That was the only saving grace, but in saying that she still had to do it the hard way.
“We’ve all come to realise that she’s one-dimensional, so we all know where she’s going to be, and I think Chris and I, we put our heads together, and obviously we’re going to ride her to her strengths, which we’ve obviously nailed down.
“Today, smaller field, it’s going to work out alright but again, the next race we’re going to have to come up with a bit more.”
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