In a career that includes seven stakes wins, the Australian mare Fangirl has shown the versatility to win at distances ranging from six furlongs to about 1 1/8 miles. Her preferred distance is seven furlongs, accounting for four of her eight career wins in 25 starts. The specialty has made Fangirl a heavy favorite to win the Group 1 Winx Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney for the second consecutive year on Friday evening. Fangirl, 6, has not raced since she finished second in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes at a mile at Randwick in March, losing by three-quarters of a length to Think It Over, another multiple Group 1 winner. Think It Over has since been retired. Fangirl, trained by Chris Waller, won the 2023 Winx Stakes after a layoff of more than four months. For her comeback, Fangirl has started in two training races from the gate, or barrier trials, at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in the last month. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing The layoff should not be an issue. In her career, which began in June 2021, Fangirl has won 3 of 7 starts after returning from layoffs. In the $672,600 Winx Stakes, Fangirl starts from post 9 in a field of 12 and will be ridden by James McDonald, who has been aboard for her last three starts, including a win in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at seven furlongs in February. The field for the Winx Stakes consists of five geldings and seven fillies and mares, with the mares Via Sistina and Zougotcha held in high regard after winning Group 1 races earlier this year. Both are trained by Waller, who has six runners in the Winx. Via Sistina, a 7-year-old Irish-bred mare, won the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland last year, and her Australian debut in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens in March. The Winx Stakes is Via Sistina’s first start since she finished a well-beaten second to Pride of Jenni in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick in April. Zougotcha won consecutive Group 1 races in her two most recent starts – the Coolmore Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in March, and the Queen of the Turf Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile at Randwick in April. Tommy Berry takes the mount on Zougotcha, replacing McDonald. The Winx Stakes is part of a 10-race program that begins at 9:45 p.m. Eastern or 6:45 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.