The Apollo Stakes meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday (17th Feb). The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with light showers in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Randwick will border on Good/Soft condition on raceday.
The very consistent King Of Sparta looks to have conditions to suit in the Expressway Stakes (Sydney Race 5, 1200m). This Team Snowden-trained 5YO won the rich Gold Coast MM Sprint first-up with James McDonald in the saddle and McDonald will once again be on board on Saturday. And the set weights plus penalties condition would really suit. The gelding has a great record over 1200m with six wins and five placings at the trip and he also has a good second-up record. McDonald will sit just behind the leaders from the good gate (2) and King Of Sparta will overpower the leaders in the last furlong.
The Chris Waller-trained Olentia could be the one to beat in the Triscay Stakes (Sydney Race 6, 1200m). The enigmatic 4YO mare has a mind of her own as she either won brilliantly or she couldn’t even finish in the placings. She is unbeaten first-up and she has as good a record at 1200m winning all her three starts at the trip. Olentia dashed home to win first-up last preparation over 1200m at Rosehill showing a nice turn-of-foot and she can repeat the dose on Saturday. She has only been allotted with 54kg and has drawn nicely in barrier 3. With pretty good pace up front, Tommy Berry will drop back in the field and let her find her feet. Olentia will showcase her acceleration and run over the top of this field down the Randwick straight.
Good mare Fangirl can take out the Apollo Stakes first-up (Sydney Race 7, 1400m). The 5YO mare was eating up the ground late first-up last preparation when winning the Group 1 Winx Stakes over this track and trip. Fangirl has a good record at 1400m and she loves Randwick having won four times with a further four placings at the venue. James McDonald knows the horse well and he will settle mid-field and Fangirl will prove too strong in the run home.
By Owens Wong
