Pride Of Jenni, Fangirl and Via Sistina early favourites for King Charles III Stakes at Royal Randwick in spring

Early markets are now out on some of the spring’s key feature races … and the highlight is undoubtedly a girls’ day out for Pride Of Jenni, Fangirl and Via Sistina in the King Charles III Stakes.

Star mares Pride of Jenni, Via Sistina (inset, top) and Fangirl (inset, bottom). Pictures: File

Superstar mares Pride Of Jenni, Fangirl and Via Sistina are the favoured trio for what would be a mouth-watering clash in the Group 1 $5 million King Charles Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick during the spring carnival.

TAB Fixed Odds has just released the first betting markets on some of the feature spring races with the King Charles, run on Everest Day, having the three mares at the top of betting.

The Ciaron Maher-trained Pride Of Jenni is the $4.50 equal favourite for her attempt at a unique “royal” double following her unforgettable Queen Elizabeth Stakes win last Saturday.

Owner Tony Ottobre said this week the King Charles III Stakes appealed as a likely spring target for Pride Of Jenni as he believed the mare was at her best over 1600m. She could then back up in the $5 million Cox Plate a week later.

“The ride of the century @decbates!”

Pride Of Jenni leads by a huge margin and wins the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in a bold front running display, in one of the most epic wins at Randwick ever!@[e-mail]/33Ejus8VL3

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 13, 2024

• What about the other jockeys in the Queen Elizabeth? What were they doing?

Pride Of Jenni’s opposition for the King Charles is likely to include the Chris Waller-trained Fangirl, who shares favouritism and is the defending champ after her stunning win in the Randwick mile weight-for-age race last spring.

Waller’s Via Sistina, winner of the Ranvet Stakes and runner-up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, is on the second line of betting at $8 alongside Doncaster Mile hero Celestial Legend.

The maestro Les Bridge has a number of options with Celestial Legend in the spring including the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) for four-year-olds at Rosehill on November 2 for which the dual Group 1-winner has been installed as the $6 favourite.

• Ray Thomas’ All Aged Stakes verdict: Star mare ‘at her peak and hard to hold out’

Militarize, who was narrowly beaten by Celestial Legend in the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile, finishing second and third respectively, is at $8 alongside George Ryder Stakes winner Veight.

Storm Boy, beaten as favourite when third in the Golden Slipper, is at the top of betting at $6 for the Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 28.

VRC Sires winner and ATC Sires runner-up Traffic Warden is next at $8 just ahead of Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot, Manaal and Linebacker at $11.

• ‘It could be difficult for Amelia’s Jewel in The Quokka’, trainer Simon Miller concedes

BIG RACE BETTING

$5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m)
Royal Randwick, October 19
$4.50 Fangirl, Pride Of Jenni
$8 Celestial Legend, Via Sistina
$11 Militarize, Mr Brightside

$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m)
Rosehill Gardens, November 2
$6 Celestial Legend
$8 Militarize, Veight
$11 Joliestar, Southport Tycoon

$1 million Golden Rose (1400m)
Rosehill Gardens, September 28
$6 Storm Boy
$8 Traffic Warden
$11 Lady Of Camelot, Linebacker, Manaal

#Markets supplied by TAB Fixed Odds