Sydney’s premiership winning trainer Chris Waller was more than happy with Winx’s final lead up gallop for the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White Stakes (George Main Stakes) (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Winx, above, has come through her final gallop leading up to the George Main Stakes at Randwick in fine style. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Winx is stepping out for her third Spring Carnival run in the George Main Stakes when she attempts to take her winning streak to twenty and Waller was happy how the champion mare went through her paces on Thursday morning.
“My only concern this morning was that she could have gone too fast. She is very well and very bright. I stressed to Hugh not to go too quick. It was perfect,” Waller said.
“She had a nice gallop on Saturday, and then a solid gallop on Tuesday and an easy piece of work this morning.”
Winx had to overcome several hurdles in her two runs this campaign to keep her winning run alive and showed her versatility and toughness with two breathtaking wins.
The glamour mare bungled the start and then had to work hard in the straight to collar her stablemate Foxplay to win the Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 19 and then Hugh Bowman had to get every bit of energy out the six year old mare to chase down Red Excitement to record her nineteenth straight win in the Group 2 $250,000 Tattersalls Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick a fortnight later.
“I don’t think there is anyone that purposely tear a race apart to make things hard but you’ve got to respect other jockeys, trainers and owners giving instructions to ride their horses to the best of their abilities,” Waller said.
“Everybody is trying to win and I respect that. It was just a little more noticeable last start.
“What we are all learning is regardless of the situation is that she is equally effective and that Winx is who she is. She is not unstoppable but she is a very good race horse.”
Bowman will again be in charge of Winx who has drawn the inside gate in the eight horse George Main Stakes field while Red Excitement with Josh Parr in the saddle again will jump from barrier four.
Winx’s main Spring Carnival mission is to win a third successive Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 28 and will have one more run after the George Main Stakes as her final lead up to the ‘Weight For Age Championship’.
Waller is still undecided if she will stay in Sydney for the Group 3 $500,000 Craven Plate (200m) at Randwick on October 14 or head to Melbourne on the same day for the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
If Waller sticks to that plan Winx will miss running in the Group 2 $500,000 Hill Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on September 30.
Winx has dominated betting again at Ladbrokes.com.au and is the very short $1.09 favourite for the George Main Stakes on Thursday morning with her nearest rival in the market order being the Pat Webster trained Happy Clapper at $12.
