Place Du Carrousel’s autumn return has been delayed by a mystery lump on her neck

Group 1 winner Place Du Carrousel will make a later than planned start to her campaign after a unique malady has forced her to miss Saturday Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick.

Place Du Carrousel, the French Group 1 winner, was ruled out of her comeback race, Saturday’s Apollo Stakes at Royal Randwick, due to an unusual ailment.

She was found to have a “hardened lump’’ on her neck which is believed to have been an insect bite.

The Yulong-owned Place Du Carrousel had a slightly elevated white blood cell count and trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman decided not to take any risks with the valuable mare.

Place Du Carrousel’s setback is only minor and she should be right to resume racing very soon, possibly the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes at Royal Randwick on March 1. She showed her quality at her Australian debut last year when second to Via Sistina in the Ranvet Stakes.

It all pays off for Via Sistina, who’s added another G1 to her name as she wins the Ranvet Stakes for her first win in Australia!@aus_turf_club@[e-mail]/oaTXtmse2u

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 23, 2024

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Yulong’s general manager Vin Cox, who also confirmed the racing and breeding giant, owners of Via Sistina and Place Du Carrousel, have purchased another three outstanding northern hemisphere mares for this year’s Sydney autumn carnival, Group 1 winners Moira, Full Count Felicia and Anisette.

The trio will be trained by Chris Waller and are among entries for the Doncaster Mile, and they join Via Sistina and Place Du Carrousel among early nominations for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes during The Championships at Randwick in April.

Moira, Full Count Felicia and Anisette are in training with James Ferguson in England, just as Via Sistina and Place Du Carrousel were last year. They have gone into quarantine and are expected to arrive in Sydney early next month.

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Hall Of Fame trainers John Hawkes, Chris Waller and Gai Waterhouse can improve on their feature race records at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Hawkes, who celebrated his 76th birthday earlier this week, has trained more winners of the Group 2 Expressway Stakes than anyone else and is aiming for his sixth success with Airman, a $13 chance in TAB Fixed Odds betting. He first won the race with Hockney in 1998.

Waller is chasing a record-equalling seventh win in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes and will have four of their eight starters – with superstars mare Via Sistina ($2) and Fangirl ($4), plus Atishu ($17) and Lindermann ($18).

✈️ Airman has caused an upset in the G2 Premiere Stakes and what a day for @ZacLloydx who rides a treble - and a feature double! 🙌@HawkesRacing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/fQLtSlvhAk

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

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The trainer’s all-time great mare, Winx, gave him three Apollo Stakes wins in 2016-17 and 2019.

Waterhouse currently holds the Apollo Stakes training record outright but she doesn’t have a runner in Saturday’s race.

But Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Adrian Bott, is aiming for her eighth win in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes with Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot ($3.20 second favourite) and Phenom ($81).

Waterhouse won her first Light Fingers Stakes 20 years ago with Flight To Fantasy.

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Fangirl is racing for the fourth successive year at Randwick’s Apollo Stakes meeting.

She is the defending champ after coming from last on the turn to beat Militarize and Think It Over in the 1400m weight-for-age race 12 months ago.

In 2023, Fangirl ran on well to finish third in the Apollo behind Goldolphin champion Anamoe.

As a three-year-old filly, Fangirl contested the 2022 Light Finger Stakes and defeated former stablemate Espiona.