Australia’s favourite race horse Winx continued on her 2018 Spring Carnival preparation when she powered home to beat three of her stablemates in a specially convened 1000m jump out before the first race on Chelmsford Stakes Day at Randwick today.
Winx, above, is on track for a fourth win in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Regular rider Hugh Bowman let Winx settle at the rear of the four horse field and when he squeezed the go button the Chris Waller trained mare exploded past Patrick Erin, The Autumn Sun and Foxplay to post a two length win.
Winx kicked off her 2018 Cox Plate defence with a first up win in the race named after her, the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 18, and with four weeks in between runs until the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White (George Main) Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 15, Waller was keen to give her a solid hit out to keep her up to the mark.
“Four weeks in between, so just doing enough to stimulate them by getting them out into the open,” Waller said.
“You can work them obviously very hard at home but a track gallop like today, like a trial, gets her used to the barriers, gets the blood pumping before the pressure of work starts and it is a much better and easier way to get them fit than just crunching them on the training tracks.”
“The track is perfect and we were very lucky to have Randwick today and it was a good surface and it is all about longevity for horses and that was partly on my mind as well.”
“A trial today basically simulates a very easy race and she will be back in two weeks time ready to go.”
“She is a pretty happy horse.”
Bowman was just as pleased as Waller was with Winx’s jump out
“Her behaviour in the barriers was lovely and Chris was keen just to bring her back in between races, a month between runs, and put her through the gates,” Bowman said.
“She seems to be going well in that department and the rest is pretty self-explanatory.”
“She has certainly come on since her first up run and I am looking forward to two weeks time.”
“Over the last fifty metres she was using herself superbly and stretching for that winning post and I am looking forward for two weeks time and let her do it in a race.”
Winx is on track to win her fourth Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 27 after equalling Kingstown Town’s record of three in a row when she claimed the a hat trick of Cox Plate wins when she beat Humidor last year.
Winx is marked at $1.45 at Ladbrokes.com.au to win her fourth Cox Plate well ahead in the market order that has Banbatl and Humidor on the second line of betting at $21.
Early betting for the 2018 Cox Plate at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.45 Winx, $21 Benbatl, Humidor, $26 D’Argento, Grunt, Happy Clapper, Invictus Prince, Poet’s Word, $31 Kementari, $34 Kings Will Dream, Saxon Warrior, $41 Avilius, $51 Hunting Horn, Seabrook, The Autumn Sun, $61 or better the rest.
