The barrier draw has gone a long way to evening out the chances of Chris Waller’s trio of runners in the $1 million 7 Stakes at Randwick, but it has done little to loosen his stranglehold on the race.
Waller will saddle up $2.25 favourite Fangirl, along with second elect Zougotcha ($4), and consistent mare Hinged ($9.50).
Tulloch Lodge import Royal Patronage is the only other horse at single-figure odds as a drifting $5.50 chance with online bookmakers.
Fangirl finished third behind the now-retired Think It Over in the corresponding race 12 months ago when she drew barrier 10 of 11 and has come up with the outside gate in the field of nine on Saturday.
Her sticky alley continues a challenging afternoon for jockey James Mcdonald, who will have to overcome tough draws on four of his five feature race mounts at the carnival meeting.
In contrast, Hinged and Zougotcha have barriers two and three respectively and Waller’s assistant Charlie Duckworth says that could prove decisive.
“Fangirl has drawn another awkward gate, that’s just what she does to make life a little bit harder for us,” Duckworth said.
“The other two mares have drawn beautifully. They will both roll up close to the speed, so they’ll afford themselves every chance.
“It probably evens it up a little bit.”
Fangirl has consistently performed at the highest level for several seasons, proving she has returned in good order following a life-threatening leg injury with a closing first-up third behind stablemate Via Sistina in the Winx Stakes (1400m).
Zougtocha split them and has an imposing second-up record with three wins from five appearances, while she is two from three over the track and distance.
In contrast, Fangirl has one win and three placings from eight starts over the Randwick mile and her only win from six second-up runs was as a three-year-old.
Hinged is searching for her first win in more than two-and-a-half years, almost breaking her drought in the Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) last start when she went down to Buckaroo in a photo finish.
She is on an Epsom Handicap path and Duckworth expects her usual, honest effort.
“It would be good if she could get a result,” he said.
“She is going to be set for an Epsom after Saturday. We ‘ummed and ahhed’ whether we ran here of went in fresh, but she is going to add some decent prizemoney in a field like that you’d think, especially with Nash (Rawiller) on and from a soft draw.”
