A date has been set for champion Winx to quietly commence her run into spring as trainer Chris Waller eyes a third consecutive Cox Plates.
Winx, aiming to become the only horse other than Kingston Town to win the weight-for-age championship three times, will be saddled up for a barrier trial at Randwick on Monday.
A second trial in mid-August is scheduled before her first outing at Randwick for the Group Two Warwick Stakes on August 19.
On Monday, Waller will be looking for good body language and signs from jockey Hugh Bowman that she’s progressing as expected.
But unlike her past 17 races, her head won’t be first past the post.
“She’s never won a trial. The closest she’s run is third,” Waller said.
“So midfield will be happy enough for me.
“More importantly, Hughie getting off and saying ‘yeah, I was really happy with that.'”
The Chelmsford Stakes (September 2) and George Main (September 16) are in Waller’s diary.
A decision is yet to be made when she will head to Melbourne with both the Craven Plate at Randwick and the Caulfield Stakes possibilities for the five-year-old on October 14.
“Last year, we didn’t need all of four (lead-up races), we just used three and I’ll be following the same thing again,” Waller said.
“If we have to miss a race, I would prefer it was at the start of the prep than at the end of the prep.”
Winx is the 14th horse to win Australia’s premier weight-for-age race on at least two occasions.
Kingston Town win his third in 1982.
