The world’s best racehorse Winx was on show at Royal Randwick for Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ with a lovely piece of track work ahead of her return to the track Saturday week in the 2017 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
2017 Queen Elizabeth Stakes favourite Winx was put through her paces at Royal Randwick on Doncaster Mile Day with a 1000m piece of work ahead of her final autumn run on April 8. Photo: Steve Hart.
Chris Waller’s mighty mare has done nothing wrong over the past two years, winning her last sixteen straight starts most recently defending her title in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m).
That win is likely to go down as one of the daughter of Street Cry’s most impressive as she easily ed for a class field including Le Romain (2nd) and Chautauqua (3rd) putting over seven lengths on them on a Heavy (10) Rosehill track.
Last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival Winx made history carrying 56.5kg to victory in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
This season she heads to Randwick on April 8 for a shot at the weight-for-age $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), a race it looks impossible not to back her to win.
In her final tune-up for that, where she’ll be out for seventeen straight wins, Winx was put through her paces over 1000m on Doncaster Mile Day.
Regular rider and her No. 1 fan Hugh Bowman was aboard for the work, which saw the $10.4 million earner clock 1.05.13 seconds including her final 600m sectional in 36.17.
“It’s just a question of giving her a day out and blowing the cobwebs out,” Waller told AAP on Saturday.
“With three weeks between her last run and the Queen Elizabeth, it’s important for everyone including her to get rid of the nerves.
“It helps keep her fit without having to punch her out.
“And it’s also important for the strappers and the truck driver who brings her here.
“We don’t want him getting nervous because he’s got Winx in the back of the float.”
Winx is odds-on in Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au to hand Waller a third win in the race after his previous success with My Kingdom Of Fife (2011) and Reliable Man (2013).
The run rounds out her autumn preparation, Winx to return to Melbourne in the spring shooting for a third straight win in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in October.
Kingston Town (1980-82) is the only triple Cox Plate winner in history.
To back Winx in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and to check futures Cox Plate 2017 odds on her to equal the three wins of Kingston Town head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.
