Winx is at a prohibitive price in Ladbrokes Cox Plate 2017 betting this weekend, but the short odds on offer for the special mare are deserving.

Saturday is the third time Chris Waller’s six-year-old daughter of Street Cry heads to The Valley, a tight track she is incredibly comfortable at.

Hugh Bowman has been aboard for the champion’s back-to-back wins in the Group 1 $3 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) and is there again as Winx looks to emulate Kingston Town with three on the trot in the weight-for-age classic.

A mare that loves to wind-up through her gears a long way from home and who seems to absorb pressure like a sponge, the Cox Plate is the ideal race for her.

She proved that in 2015 saluting at what seems now an unbelievably generous price of $4.60 before returning last year to make Cox Plate history winning at $1.70 by a record eight lengths.

No favourite in Cox Plate betting has started shorter than the current $1.16 quote on offer for Winx at Ladbrokes.com.au since Phar Lap won his second at $1.07 in 1931.

Prior to that the champion chestnut saluted in 1930 at $1.14 going on to win that year’s Melbourne Cup over two miles.

The only other Cox Plate winner to jump at shorter odds than Winx will in 2017 was Tobin Bronze ($1.17 in 1967) who defeated just six rivals.

The punters are coming for Winx in a big way since part-owner Peter Tighe snapped up barrier six on Tuesday morning for the dual defending champ who can Black Caviar on the all-time record of 15 Group 1 victories with success this weekend.

Winx worked beautifully on Tuesday morning’s Breakfast With The Best in a 1200m gallop at Moonee Valley and her ideal gate gives her the space she needs to salute on Saturday.

“It was exactly what we wanted to see from her,” Waller said on Tuesday morning.

“Most of her work has been done, of course, and we are into Grand Final week.

“I just wanted to make sure the team is happy and everything is going to plan.

“I couldn’t be any happier, my jockey Hugh Bowman has exactly the same feeling, and everyone is very happy wither the way her preparation has gone.”

Waller is known for his emotional post-race interviews, especially when Winx is involved, and said it was because he never showed up on race day expecting to come away with the winners’ cheque.

“Everything’s perfect,” he said.

“We just need the racing gods to be on her side. You never come to the races expecting to win.

“I choose not to think about until she does it. That’s why I get so emotional.”

A crowd of 30,000 fans are expected to turn out on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day to watch Winx defeat the likes of Ladbrokes Stakes winner Gailo Chop ($18), the three-year-old lightweight Royal Symphony ($18) and last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup fifth placegetter Humidor ($18).

Back Winx at the best 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate odds online today through Ladbrokes.com.au.