The punters are rallying around the Chris Waller-trained super mare Fangirl who gets her autumn underway as the short-priced favourite in Apollo Stakes 2024 betting in Sydney on Saturday.

The now five-year-old daughter of Sebring is first-up in a quality edition of Randwick’s Group 2 $300,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) looking to improve on her third to the since retired Anamoe in the event last year.

Fangirl has a lovely record fresh including winning the Group 1 Winx Stakes at this track and trip first-up in the spring.

She chases her first win since taking out the inaugural Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) by nearly three lengths over weight-for-age hero Mr Brightside.

Fangirl was unplaced when seventh, albeit only 1.6 lengths beaten, in the Cox Plate and fourth in the Champions Mile at her latest two.

Back in Sydney in easier grade with James McDonald aboard Fangirl looks a deserving Apollo favourite at her current quote of $2.25 and firming through Ladbrokes.com.au.

Four of her rivals are also under $10 for the win in the always-important autumn starting point including her young stablemate Militarize ($5) in a good gate with Kerrin McEvoy to ride.

The Dundeel colt is out to be the first three-year-old Apollo Stakes champ since the filly Ha Ha back in 2002.

The last three-year-old colt or gelding to win the Apollo meanwhile was even further back in history with Key Dancer in 1990, meaning the odds are stacked against Waller’s triple Group 1 winner Militarize this weekend.

Militarize does tick plenty other boxes however being two-from-two at the distance and boasting a top Randwick record (3:2-0-1) that includes Group 1 wins in the Inglis Sires’ and Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old.

He won the Group 1 Golden rose at Rosehill last prep and had his latest run in the Cox Plate crossing 2.35 lengths eighth to Romantic Warrior.

Waller has prepared five previous Apollo Stakes winners, most recently his world-famous mare Winx (2019).

He dominates the Apollo Stakes field this year with Fangirl and Militarize two of his four final acceptors.

Also representing the stable are the imported Buckaroo ($7.50) who has been solid in his lead-up trials and former Rosehill Guineas winner Lindermann ($9.50) looking to return to his better performances.

The key player from outside the Waller camp is the Kerry Parker-trained Think It Over ($7) to be ridden by Nash Rawiller first-up.

The evergreen eight-year-old son of So You Think won the $1 million 7 Stakes over the mile here last September, a race Fangirl finished third in, before his last start King Charles III Stakes sixth.

He always performs well first-up for the season (9:4-2-0) and has displayed his class with $7.84 million in the bank.

The Apollo Stakes 2024 is one of three Group 2 features on the 10-race Randwick card on Saturday and is scheduled to run as Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEDT).

Click here for the latest markets on the Apollo runners at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2024 Apollo Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	4241x6316x	THINK IT OVER	Kerry Parker	Nash Rawiller	7	59kg			120
2	54x5213x7x	CASCADIAN (GB)	James Cummings	Zac Lloyd (a)	9	59kg			114
3	0x77114x0x	ARAPAHO (FR)	Bjorn Baker	Joshua Parr	3	59kg			112
4	6x143x275x	BUCKAROO (GB)	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	6	59kg			107
5	61141x412x	ATTRACTABLE	Sara Ryan	Regan Bayliss	1	59kg			105
6	1222x0180x	NAVAJO PEAK	David Payne	Jason Collett	10	59kg			103
7	1210x0488x	LINDERMANN	Chris Waller	Tim Clark	4	59kg			102
8	227x13174x	FANGIRL	Chris Waller	James McDonald	8	57kg			117
9	5121215×21	SEMANA	Ciaron Maher	Dylan Gibbons (a)	2	57kg			101
10	3011x5158x	MILITARIZE (NZ)	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	5	55.5kg			107

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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