Group 1 racing gets underway at Randwick for the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival on Saturday with the Chris Waller-trained Fangirl favourite to successfully defend her title in the Winx Stakes 2024.
Fangirl is favourite in 2024 Winx Stakes betting to successfully defend her title in the spring’s opening Group 1 race on Saturday. Photo: Seve Hart.
Waller has an incredible record in the race formerly run as the Group 2 Warwick Stakes having won for a seventh time last season with Fangirl.
This weekend he returns looking for a record-extending eighth victory in the Group 1 $1 million Winx Stakes (1400m) saddling up six of the 12 final acceptors.
Sitting top of the Winx Stakes odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au out to be the first back-to-back champion since former stablemate and the race’s namesake Winx (2016-18) is Fangirl.
She pays $2.30 to salute again drawn in gate nine with James McDonald aboard first-up.
The now six-year-old daughter of Sebring had two runs last campaign winning the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at this track and trip with easy first-up in February before her brave second behind Think It Over in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m).
Her recent trials have been solid, and she shapes up as hard to beat again.
The danger occupying the second line of Winx Stakes betting online at $6 is the fellow Waller-trained mare Via Sistina drawn gate seven for Kerrin McEvoy.
The class import made a big impact down under last time in when taking out the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill in her Australian debut.
She then went on to finish second best behind tearaway 6.5 length champ Pride Of Jenni in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in mid-April, and she looks set for another big prep in Sydney this spring.
The other Waller runners in the Winx Stakes 2024 field on Saturday are Buckaroo ($61), returning VRC Derby champion Riff Rocket ($9) with the outside alley to overcome, Atishu ($21), and Zougotcha ($8.50).
Tommy Berry comes aboard the ultra-consistent Zoustar mare Zougotcha who is after her fourth consecutive victory after stringing together three on the trot in the autumn including the Group 1 Coolmore Classic and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at her latest two.
Outside the Waller camp the other best in Winx Stakes markets include the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Prized Icon mare Tropical Squall ($9) who won the autumn’s Surround Stakes at the track and trip in style, and Tatt’s Tiara runner-up Semana for Ciaron Maher with the fitness edge racing third-up.
The 2024 Winx Stakes is set to run as Randwick Race 8 at 3:50pm (AEST) with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.
2024 Winx Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x275x5356x | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | Joshua Parr | 8 | 59kg | 110 | ||
| 2 | 2317x3628x | DETONATOR JACK (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Jason Collett | 2 | 59kg | 108 | ||
| 3 | 4019x9629x | ZEYREK (FR) | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Reece Jones | 3 | 59kg | 105 | ||
| 4 | 1x1110x85x | JUST FINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ms Rachel King | 4 | 59kg | 105 | ||
| 5 | 2121x1311x | RIFF ROCKET | Chris Waller | Nash Rawiller | 12 | 58.5kg | 107 | ||
| 6 | x13174x12x | FANGIRL | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 9 | 57kg | 119 | ||
| 7 | 1132x2x12x | VIA SISTINA (IRE) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 57kg | 117 | ||
| 8 | 2021x8132x | ATISHU (NZ) | Chris Waller | Tyler Schiller | 10 | 57kg | 114 | ||
| 9 | 9x646x111x | ZOUGOTCHA | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 6 | 57kg | 114 | ||
| 10 | 5x21123x02 | SEMANA | Ciaron Maher | Dylan Gibbons | 5 | 57kg | 109 | ||
| 11 | 13120x146x | TROPICAL SQUALL | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Adam Hyeronimus | 11 | 56.5kg | 104 | ||
| 12 | 7121x0132x | ZARDOZI | James Cummings | Zac Lloyd (a) | 1 | 56.5kg | 104 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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