Triple Group 1 winner Alizee heads up the nominations for the 2019 Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The former Warwick Stakes was renamed after champion mare Winx took the honours in 2016 and 2017 before the super star mare won the race that was named after her last year when it was upgraded to Group 1 status.
Alizee is one of three James Cummings trained horses that make up the fourteen nominations for the Winx Stakes with the entry deadline extended until 11am on Tuesday, August 20.
Alizee has shown that she has returned in great order for her 2019 Spring Carnival campaign with a first up win in the Group 2 $200,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on August 10 and is in line to claim a fourth Group 1 trophy if she can produce the goods again on Saturday.
“She’s on the board fresh up, and the remainder of the campaign is there to see, and hopefully Hugh has had a similarly good feeling,” Cummings said.
“She’s an outstanding horse and we’re lucky enough to have her in the barn. It’s wonderful to see her get up and win a weight-for-age group 2 first-up. She seemed to do it the hard way. He took off very early on her, and if there was a way she was going to get beat it was going to be an impatient jockey.
“It was good to see her hold on, and there was a good margin back to third, so I suggest she would have rated very well even though the second horse came at her strongly. I’m just really pleased for her she’s back on the board and has come back in such good form.”
Cummings’ other two Winx Stakes entries are Group 1 winner Avilius and Best Of Days.
Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller has four entries with Kings Will Dream plus his three Oaks winners Unforgotten, Verry Elleegant and Youngstar.
Newcastle’s leading trainer Kris Lees has two entries with Invincible Gem and Le Romain while trainer Pat Webster has nominated veteran warhorse Happy Clapper.
The final field for the 2019 Winx Stakes will be released on Wednesday, August 21, 2019.
Nominations for the 2019 Winx Stakes (1400m)
# | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1x111306x1 | ALIZEE | M | 5 | James Cummings | 116 |
2 | 140x11511x | AVILIUS (GB) | G | 6 | James Cummings | 118 |
3 | 713211x5Nx | BEST OF DAYS (GB) | G | 6 | James Cummings | 108 |
4 | x621x8132x | DREAMFORCE | G | 7 | John Thompson | 110 |
5 | x304319x36 | GALA MOSHEA | M | 6 | Brett Conlon | 68 |
6 | 3x75x2284x | HAPPY CLAPPER | G | 9 | Patrick Webster | 117 |
7 | 45x73810x2 | INVINCIBLE GEM | M | 6 | Kris Lees | 108 |
8 | 11x43236Px | KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 105 |
9 | 42x28496x3 | LE ROMAIN | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 113 |
10 | 151241915x | SAMADOUBT | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 97 |
11 | 154x17x163 | SESAR | H | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 100 |
12 | 138x53403x | UNFORGOTTEN | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 107 |
13 | 3157x2111x | VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 106 |
14 | 63276x059x | YOUNGSTAR | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 107 |