It was a Chris Waller-trained trifecta in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday afternoon, with Fangirl ($3.50) proving the best to claim back-to-back victories in the $300,000 feature.
The three-time Group 1 winner surged clear in the concluding stages to justify strong support with horse racing bookmakers, with the daughter of Sebring firming from $5.00 to $3.50 prior to the jump.
Jason Collet landed in the perfect stalking position throughout the 1400m journey, sitting two lengths back one-off the rail to get the six-year-old into a rhythm before sprinting off a slow tempo in the middle stages.
Nash Rawiller attempted to steal the race aboard Lindermann ($16.00) and pinched a margin at the top of the straight, while Via Sistina ($2.00) and Ceolwulf ($5.00) made their respective runs in unison down the centre of the course.
Fangirl simply had the superior turn-of-foot resuming from a spell, and with Via Sistina and Ceolwulf finishing off nicely, the pair lost no admirers kicking off their lengthy autumn preparations.
It was all about Fangirl in the end, however, claiming her first victory since claiming the 7 Stakes (1600m) on September 21.
Charlie Duckworth was on track to break down the win.
“She’s an absolute gem,” said Duckworth.
“I know she wasn’t that long in the market but almost a forgotten horse.
“It was all Ceolwulf and Via Sistina. Jason (Collett) gave her just a beautiful ride.
“The other two (Via Sistina and Ceolwulf) were having a battle behind her and she just said, ‘while you two are playing Top Trumps behind me I’ll just go and get the job done’.
“She’s just got to get left alone early. You force her into a position she’s not happy with (it doesn’t suit). We all kept whinging about bad draw, but she’s actually better better off because you can actually just leave her alone and just wait for that turn of foot, because she’s electric.”
Jason Collett was pleased with the win and credited her turn-of-foot for the victory.
“When I was able to get Via back underneath me on the fence, I had her locked away, and I had Ceolwulf behind me I thought, ‘well, I’ve just got to wait’,” said Collett.
“I probably have the best turn of foot over 1400 so I just tried to utilise that.
“She’s not the cleanest out of the gates and that’s one thing I said after watching the replays, if I could get her out as clean as I can that could be the difference and it probably was.
“I was able to have Via back to the inside and Ceolwulf behind me and I thought, well I’ve probably got the turn of foot to outdo them, as long as I can hold together.
“She’s not the cleanest out and she can probably be her own worst enemy. But in saying that, she races best when she’s in her comfort zone and that obviously comes with being slow away.”
Horse racing news
