Chris Waller is set to gang tackle the first Group One race of the Sydney season, confirming he will have up to six of his biggest stars resuming in the Winx Stakes at Randwick.
Five of them stepped out in exhibition gallops at Rosehill on Saturday – Fangirl, Via Sistina, Riff Rocket, Zougotcha and Atishu – while Buckaroo will also be added to the mix.
Waller has won the race named after his champion mare seven times, including with Fangirl last year, and says each of his squad is capable of showing up, depending on how the race is run.
“All of them have come up well,” Waller said from Rosehill on Saturday.
“They’re all individuals, yet they’ve all done similar work and had similar preparations, and everything has been straightforward until now.
“They will all run well but it will come down to luck in running, the way the race is run, the tempo of the race, how much pressure is on up front.
“If you’ve got a solid pace, that’s when your Via Sistinas and your Riff Rockets come into it, if you’ve got a sedate pace, a Zougotcha will be suited, and a medium to strong pace, Fangirl is going to be the one.”
Waller is yet to finalise his jockeys for the Winx Stakes (1400m) but says James Mcdonald is pencilled in to partner Fangirl, who he won aboard last year.
Kerrin Mcevoy is set to pick up the mount on Via Sistina, with Nash Rawiller on Riff Rocket and Tommy Berry Zougtocha, while Atishu and Bucakroo will be ridden by Tyler Schiller and Josh Parr respectively.
Of Waller’s five Winx Stakes hopefuls to have solo exhibition gallops at Rosehill on Saturday, Via Sistina clocked the quickest time for the 1000m workout of 1:04.81 seconds, running home her final 600m sectional in 36.59s.
Zougotcha was next fastest at 1:06.25, just ahead of Fangirl who covered the journey in 1:06.81.
Stablemate Joliestar, who has been touted as a possible Everest wildcard, also worked nicely between races and will resume in next weekend’s Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m).