The formidable trainer-jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald continued their dominant run at Royal Randwick, securing their second Group 1 victory on Day 2 of The Championships with the talented mare Fangirl claiming the 2025 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

Just one race after stablemate Via Sistina equalled Winx’s record with her seventh Group 1 win of the season in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Fangirl ($2.50F) added another prestigious trophy to Waller’s cabinet, saluting for punters in the Group 1 $1 million Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m).

Fangirl was initially entered for both the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Queen Of The Turf, but Waller made the strategic decision to withdraw her from the 2000m event in favour of the shorter mile contest.

“We took a step back today from the Queen Elizabeth, but she’ll get her time in another 2,000m race, I promise you that,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“Obviously, today means so much. We’ve got to have horses winning, and the big races especially. We would have liked to have had a crack at the Queen Elizabeth, but Via Sistina was flying and I didn’t want to break her heart.”

The consistent daughter of Sebring entered the race as the odds-on favourite following an impressive autumn campaign, which included a first-up victory in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes and subsequent second-place finishes behind Via Sistina in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes and Gringotts in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes.

“Yeah, it was a good run, the George Ryder, we ran home with our tails between our legs, thinking we’d won the race and probably the one that got away,” Waller reflected.

“It was no one’s fault, just barrier draws and luck in running. But she was brave and full credit to the horses that beat us. But, yeah, it’s icing on the cake when you know they can bounce off the canvas and come back.”

Back against her own sex over the Randwick mile, Fangirl proved too strong, defeating last weekend’s Doncaster Mile winner Stefi Magnetica ($7) by just under a length.

Stefi Magnetica was incredibly brave in defeat on the quick back-up after encountering traffic issues at the top of the straight, losing crucial momentum.

“Yeah, an amazing team of owners, that’s a huge thing in itself,” Waller said, acknowledging the support behind his runners.

“There’s so many great stories with any winner on the racetrack, but the Group 1s on big days like today, it really is special.

“So, I don’t know where to start. She won her first race in Goulburn during COVID, if I remember. Yeah, she’s come a long way. Each preparation, she just stands up and she’s counted.”

Rounding out the trifecta in third place was Waller’s 2023 Queen Of The Turf champion, Atishu ($12), who had also finished second in the event last year, demonstrating her consistent high level of performance.

“Yeah, she was brave too, it’s her last run today too, and she’s been an amazing horse,” Waller said of Atishu.

“Last three years she’s run in this race, she won it two years ago, got beaten a nose last year, and she’s beaten by Fangirl and the Doncaster winner this year.”

Interstate raider Grinzinger Belle ($15), fresh off a win in the Group 2 Sunline Stakes, led the field into the straight before fading to finish seventh, five lengths behind the winner.

With 300m to go, the Waller duo of Fangirl and Atishu were positioned perfectly on the inside to launch their bids.

Fangirl took the lead inside the final 100m and held off the fast-finishing Stefi Magnetica to secure a well-deserved victory by three-quarters of a length.

“She’s a great mare, love her to bits. Just ridden a bit quieter today than what we did last time,” McDonald said of Fangirl.

“Tried to win last start and she ran well, but back to mares’ grade, it was looking pretty good. She’s quick, she’s got a lethal 400m, but not 405m.

“I thought I’d be there, because last time I drove her up, today I wasn’t going to do that and so I was always going to be curled up somewhere, and I was just going to have to pray that it would open up.

“Sometimes when you just let it happen before trying to make it happen, it can be in your favour. I actually went out there with the mindset, she was a 10 to 1 chance, and rode her like that.”

2025 Queen Of The Turf Stakes Results

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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