Winx is set to start the shortest-priced favourite in Chipping Norton Stakes history when she lines-up at Royal Randwick on Saturday chasing her 15th win on the trot.
Winx is odds-on to defend her title in the 2017 Chipping Norton Stakes and post a 10th Group 1 win this weekend in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.
Pre-field markets at Ladbrokes.com.au are now out for this year’s $600,000 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) with the reigning champion Winx at $1.10 to successfully defend her title.
Chris Waller’s heroic five-year-old will become a 10-time Group 1 winner when she salutes for the punters going back-to-back in the Chipping Norton Stakes for the first time since the fellow Waller-trained Shoot Out (2012-13).
Favourites in Chipping Norton Stakes betting have won four times in the past 10 years, including Winx who jumped at $1.30 to win the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival showdown 12 months ago.
She did that on the back of a first-up run in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) and brings the exact same formlines into the race this year.
Regular rider Hugh Bowman narrowly escaped missing the mount on his favourite horse due to suspension and will be back in the saddle after his fifth successful Chipping Norton Stakes ride.
The only other horse under $10 in the futures Chipping Norton Stakes betting markets is the John O’Shea-trained Hartnell ($8) who has faced Winx five times for five losses to date.
He too comes out of the Apollo Stakes running second again behind the superstar with James Doyle aboard.
Doyle subsequently broke his wrist in a nasty race fall later that day and will be replaced by Brenton Avdulla in the Chipping Norton Stakes 2017.
Avdulla is pleased to get the call-up, but doesn’t think he and Hartnell will be ending the Winx winning streak.
“I don’t think you can go into the race thinking you can beat her,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“The only way she gets beat is probably bad luck or if she has an off day.
“Hartnell has bigger targets in store and this is another run in his preparation.
“If he is good enough, he is good enough, and I will just enjoy the ride and we will see what happens.”
Waller’s class import Endless Drama ($16) is the other Chipping Norton Stakes contender under $20 to score one of racing’s greatest upsets after a first-up Apollo Stakes third.
No Chipping Norton Stakes winner since He’s No Pie Eater ($81 in 2007) has saluted at double-figures in the race.
To back Winx to win the Chipping Norton Stakes 2017 at the best price head to Ladbrokes.com.au now – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
