2025 Apollo Stakes Day Tips & Preview

Shall Be comes to town for the first time as he looks to make it three straight wins.

The speedy son of Shalaa has recorded three wins and a second placing from just five starts, with his only unplaced run coming in the Inglis Challenge where he raced up on speed and just felt the pinch late over 1100m.

Sent for a break, he’s returned in fine order scoring back to back wins over the 900m at Newcastle and the way he’s been finding the line suggests the slight rise to 1000m shouldn’t be a problem.

William Stanley stays in the saddle for Mark Minervini, he’ll take 3kgs off and can afford him every chance off the low draw.

Tapa Kick strips fitter for the two runs back and I think he’ll relish getting out to 1800m.

The four year old was solid when resuming over 1280m at Muswellbrook where he lumped a 64.5kg impost in soft conditions.

He then stepped out to 1500m at Rosehill a fortnight ago and hit the line strongly after not having much room in the early part of the straight.

Yet to miss a top three spot in twelve career starts, he’s always shown plenty of talent and I think he’ll continue to work through his grades.

Zac Lloyd retains the mount for Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich and with the low draw and drop to 56.5kgs, there’s a lot to like about him.

United States made a big impression on debut and the son of Snitzel is sure to have taken improvement from the run.

Stepping out over 1000m here, he settled midfield in amongst them and when brought to the outside, the colt unleashed a strong turn of foot to get within a nose of the winner.

With the race experience under his belt, the slight rise to 1100m will certainly suit and I think he’ll be powering over the top of them late under Kerrin McEvoy.

Yorkshire is building an enviable record and will look to extend his winning streak to four.

Prepared by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, the Snitzel gelding put the writing on the wall in his first campaign, saluting in three of his four starts and he’s continued to rise through the grades this preparation.

He was narrowly beaten by the race-fit Accredited when resuming here and he’s proven superior in two subsequent runs.

He relished getting out to 1500m for the first time at his latest outing and he looks well suited with the rise to the mile here.

With the allocation of the big weight, the team have elected to claim, securing Anna Roper to do the steering and take 3kgs off

Joliestar returns to the races.

The Zoustar mare was brilliant when resuming over this track and distance last campaign, taking out the Show Country Quality in emphatic style.

She looked to wanting further when contesting the Sheraco Stakes at her following outing and it was a similar story in The Everest as she was steaming home late.

A three-time winner over 1200m, all of those victories have been first up, and her two recent trials suggest she’s come back in top order.

Kerrin McEvoy has enjoyed success on the mare previously having partnered her to victory on debut and he’ll take the reins here for Chris Waller.

Commemorative will kick off her campaign and the Godolphin mare has yet to miss a top two spot in four first up appearances.

Only lightly raced, the daughter of I Am Invincible has always shown plenty of talent and recorded her first stakes win back in May last year, when saluting in the Listed Denise’s Joy at Scone.

Beaten only a head when resuming in the Group 3 Toy Show when resuming in last preparation, she then headed to Caulfield where she found herself a long way back and powered home late to finish fourth behind some very handy gallopers.

She comes here off two very pleasing trials and is set to enjoy a cosy run off the inside draw under Adam Hyeronimus.

With just the four race starts Lady Shenandoah has showed great improvement on each occasion and she makes her return here in the Light Fingers.

A daughter of Snitzel, she made her debut in a Warwick Farm maiden for the two year olds in May before heading to Brisbane, where she took the jump to stakes grade and finished off strongly into second in the Listed Bill Carter.

She returned bigger and better in the Spring, taking out the Ming Dynasty before tasting success at the elite level as she proved superior in the Flight Stakes.

Whilst I think she’ll continue to improve as she steps out over further, she looked sharp winning her latest trial over 900m.

Zac Lloyd guided her to Group One glory and he stays onboard for Chris Waller.

Last year’s Cox Plate champ Via Sistina will make her hotly anticipated return.

Now a six-time Group One winner, she was quick to make an impressive down under, taking out the Ranvet Stakes at her first Australian outing a little under a year ago.

She made it four wins from just five starts in the Spring, saluting in the Winx Stakes, The Turnbull, The MacKinnon and of course, her dominant eight length romp in Australia’s premier WFA event.

Her first up record is brilliant, her two recent trials get the tick of approval and Kerrin McEvoy will look to make it two from two aboard the star mare.

Sunshineinmypocket makes the journey to Sydney following a terrific first up effort to salute over 1200m on the Sandown Lakeside.

Settling back at the rear, he charged home over the top of them to get the bob in right in the line.

The Ciaron Maher trained gelding made a flying start to his career, recording three straight wins and was sent for a well-earned break after suffering his first defeat with a luckless run in the Listed Bendigo Guineas.

He’s returned in top order and whilst this is a big jump in grade, he looks very progressive.

The rise to 1300m will suit and he gets in with just 52kgs thanks to the claim for Zac Wadick.

Perfumist just keeps getting the job done and it’s hard to go against her as she stays in this grade of race.

The Bjorn Baker trained filly kicked off her winning streak with a dominant win in a Class 1 at Mudgee back in December and has continued to rise through the grades, saluting at Canterbury, Randwick and most recently Rosehill.

Her past two victories have seen her take her take up the lead and kick away over the final part and she looks well placed to do that again.

Anna Roper will take 3kgs off and if she can find the front without doing too much early, she’s sure to be strong late.