Chris Waller isn’t perturbed by the presence of bold frontrunner Pride Of Jenni in the King Charles III Stakes, comfortable the rival mare is well enough exposed not to sneak under their guards.
Waller has Fangirl in the feature, the seven-year-old having clashed with Pride Of Jenni three times, beating her home only once in last year’s Cantala Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
However, it is the latter’s 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes victory that still smarts for the champion trainer with Pride Of Jenni establishing a huge midrace lead and running her rivals ragged to trounce Fangirl’s stablemate Via Sistina by more than six lengths.
Waller isn’t anticipating a repeat of that at Randwick on Saturday, adamant Fangirl can adapt to her free-running tactics.
“It has brought her undone in the past but we know about Pride Of Jenni now,” Waller said.
“We know not to let her out of our sights. If you let Pride Of Jenni out of your sights you won’t get past her.
“Fangirl is a great mare and a mile is her right distance.”
Fangirl has posted nine of her 12 career wins at Randwick and downed Mr Brightside to take out the corresponding race two years ago.
She arrives in winning form following a last start triumph over Lindermann and while she has an awkward draw on paper in barrier 11, Waller doesn’t expect the gate to have an impact.
“The win last start probably helps her confidence and I’m not worried about the draw, there will be plenty of speed on,” he said.
Saturday will be the race’s third running as the King Charles III Stakes (1609m) and the four horses who have run the quinella in the opening editions – Fangirl and Mr Brightside in 2023 and Ceolwulf and Pride Of Jenni last year – are all lining up.
