As expected the Apollo Stakes 2018 nominations for this Saturday’s Royal Randwick feature are absent the dual defending champion Winx who instead will have a track gallop at the meeting after Race 3.

Winx (inside) bypasses Saturday’s 2018 Apollo Stakes at Royal Randwick. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Winx was originally set to kick-off her Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign on the weekend in the weight-for-age Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m).

The suspension of her regular rider Hugh Bowman however saw trainer Chris Waller and connections shelve Apollo Stakes plans and reschedule her first-up run for March 3 in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).

The Winx show will still be in town in Sydney on Saturday however with the superstar to be put through her paces in a special gallop alongside a number of stablemates.

Racing NSW meanwhile took 14 early Apollo Stakes entries on Monday, extending the nominations until 11am (AEDT) on Tuesday.

Of the current nominees there are two in-form three-year-olds in the mix with the Bjorn Baker-trained Addictive Nature and the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Siege Of Quebec.

Savabeel colt Addictive Nature is second-up for the season following his nice first-up third behind Golden Rose winner Trapeze Artist in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m).

The step-up in distance will suit as his last run over the 1400m produced a Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality win at Rosehill last August.

Siege Of Quebec meanwhile could be on the short seven day back-up after the super-consistent Fastnet Rock colt ran a distance second to the Randwick Guineas-bound Kementari in last weekend’s Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm.

Waterhouse & Bott have a total of three Apollo Stakes nominations this season also entering gun mare Global Glamour and the returning Stampede.

A dual Group 1 winning daughter of Star Witness, Global Glamour is third-up on the weekend and was last seen running under two lengths back for fourth in the Expressway Stakes.

Her best form has been over 1400m – 1600m, including the Flight Stakes – Thousand Guineas mile double as a three-year-old, so getting up to the distance will work in her favour on the weekend.

Her stablemate Stampede is a five-year-old High Chaparral entire racing for the first time since his third to Harlem in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield last September.

Stampede is a good fresh performer (3:1-2-0) and he trialled twice since at Randwick in January leading-up to his return.

Waller may not have Winx there in the Apollo Stakes this year but the master trainer still has two entries with returning Fastnet Rock four-year-old Comin’ Through who is a 1400m specialist (5:3-1-1) and his six-year-old Lope De Vega stallion Endless Drama.

Endless Drama was third to his star stablemate Winx in the Apollo Stakes trifecta 12 months ago and has raced just the three times since.

After walking home for last in the Doncaster Mile last April, Endless Drama spent a long time recovering from the setback and returned on January 27 with a good first-up third in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m).

Other notable hopes include the Gary Moore-trained Classic Uniform who won the Group 2 Hill Stakes (1800m) – Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m) Randwick double last spring, and Kris Lees’ dual Group 1 winner Prized Icon.

The official Apollo Stakes 2018 field and updated odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are set for release on Wednesday.

2018 Apollo Stakes Nominations

Randwick Racecourse – 17/02/2018