Brilliant mare Fangirl shows she is still one of the best horses in Australia with a second win in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes

It was billed as a clash between Via Sistina and Ceolwulf but Fangirl had other ideas as she stormed home to make it back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick.

Fangirl (cerise) goes back-to-back in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

This was a statement win from the mare they call “racing’s quiet achiever”.

All week, the build-up to the Group 2 $300,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday had centred mainly on Via Sistina, with Ceolwulf in the conversation and some mention of Fangirl.

But the race result was like Fangirl saying “don’t forget about me” as she proved unequivocally – again - that she is still among the nation’s elite racehorses while Via Sistina and Ceolwulf lost no admirers in defeat.

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The race was a training triumph for Hall of Famer Chris Waller who prepared the stable trifecta and won a record-equalling seventh Apollo Stakes when Fangirl went back-to-back in the feature race.

Fangirl ($3.70) was cleverly ridden by Jason Collett and showed her trademark dazzling burst of acceleration to win by nearly a length from Lindermann ($17) who made a brave attempt to lead all-the-way, giving owner-breeder Debbie Kepitis the Group 2 quinella.

Via Sistina ($2.10 favourite) was held up for a run in the straight but when clear she finished fast to just miss claiming second while Ceolwulf sustained a long run from back in the field and finished fourth, beaten a length and a half.

“People sort of take Fangirl for granted to a degree but she is an awesome mare,’’ said Charlie Duckworth, Waller’s stable representative.

“I know she wasn’t that long in the market but almost a forgotten horse. It was all Ceolwulf and Via Sistina.

“It was very, very satisfying to see her win today. She has been a good horse for a very long time.

“You do worry as these horses get older and the young ones creep up on them but the way she was travelling today she was always going to be hard to peg back.

We are fans!!!

Fangirl makes it back-to-back Apollo Stakes 🙌@cwallerracing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/a0XgcxkMs0

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 15, 2025

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“She’s just got to be left alone early. When you force her into a position she’s not happy with it.

“We all kept whinging about the bad draw, but she’s actually better off because you can leave her alone and just wait for that turn of foot which is electric.”

Collett said Fangirl settled in a perfect position with Via Sistina on his inside and Ceolwulf trailing the mares.

“I had Via Sistina locked away, and I had Ceolwulf behind me so I thought, ‘well, I’ve just got to wait’,’’ Collett said.

“Fangirl probably has the best turn of foot over 1400m so I just tried to utilise that.’’

Duckworth said all the signs indicated both Fangirl and Via Sistina were going as well as ever leading into the Apollo Stakes.

“Fangirl is the hardest to work out exactly where she is at because she is so casual about life, she is a little angel,’’ Duckworth said.

“Via Sistina come out on the track like a steam train so it is pretty obvious she is flying but Fangirl is the unassuming type, our quiet achiever.’’

Duckworth conceded the focus going into the Apollo was on Via Sistina after what she achieved during the spring carnival.

"Very very satisfying!"

Hear from @CRDuckworth and Jason Collett after Fangirl's win in the G2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick today!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/otSqSeepJ3

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 15, 2025

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“Maybe we were all kidding ourselves because Via Sistina won so well first-up over 1400m last spring and we all thought she was capable of doing that again,’’ Duckworth said.

“It was a great run by Via Sistina, she was held up for little bit then really got going the last 75m. She he might well have won today with better luck in running but her Grand Final is a 2000m race (Queen Elizabeth Stakes).’’

Lindermann’s effort to split his stablemates was described by jockey Nash Rawiller as a “terrific return.”

“That mare (Fangirl), when you see her at her best she’s probably unbeatable, and full credit to my bloke he’s run into her on the wrong day but he’ll bounce out of that well,’’ he said.

Ceolwulf’s rider, Chad Schofield, also took encouragement from the gelding’s fast finishing fourth.

“I’m really pleased with his return. Schofield said. “We just dropped him out the back and switched him off, then he sprinted home really well.”

Fangirl and Via Sistina are expected to clash again in the Group 1 $1 million Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on March 1. Lindermann and Ceolwulf are also likely to be among their rivals.

“It will be another interesting battle that everyone can savour,’’ Duckworth said.

Originally published as Brilliant mare Fangirl shows she is still one of the best horses in Australia with a second win in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes