Apache Song
RACE: The Showdown (1200m)
TRAINER: Michael Trotter
Apache Song will attempt to hand her sire Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy) a second southern hemisphere-bred winner when she lines up in today’s $1 million The Showdown (1200m) at Sandown.
Victory for the filly would earn her Cranbourne-based handler Michael Trotter, who also saddles his only other two-year-old in training, Beaunified (Brazen Beau), in the race, the biggest success of his training career.
Apache Song, the $5 second favourite for today’s rich VOBIS contest behind Shesallshenanigans (Toronado), has finished second in each of her two career starts, beginning with a neck-defeat on debut at Pakenham over 1200 metres last month, a race in which she defeated subsequent winner Chill The Krug (Shalaa).
She stepped up to stakes level for her next start, finishing three-quarters of a length behind I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) in the Redoute’s Choice Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Sandown last weekend.
Apache Song will jump from barrier six in the 13-runner juvenile feature, and will again be ridden by amateur jockey Carleen Hefel, who celebrated a career-best four-timer on Sandown’s card days ago.
“She ate up [after her run in the Redoute’s Choice Stakes], the next day she was absolutely bouncing and she’s improved every day,” Trotter said.
“She’s a funny horse, she’s so professional and with every jumpout and every race she just seems to be getting better and better, which is a good sign.”
Bred by David Baker’s Kilmore Thoroughbred Services, Apache Song is the second foal out of city-winning mare For A Song (Gonski). The mare has a yearling foal by Swettenham Stud stallion I Am Immortal (I Am Invincible), while she was covered by Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) last year.
Former Swettenham Stud shuttler Sioux Nation, who will also be represented by debutant Mistavain in today’s Showdown, has had just two runners in the southern hemisphere to date, the other being talented WA winner Shaddow Fear.