WINX RETURNS TO THE PUBLIC EYE THIS WEEK
WHY IS THIS HORSE SO REVERED?
Where do we begin?
* 17 races on the trot, including 12 at Group One level.
* Only the third horse to be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame while still racing.
* Brings bookies to tears – she’s been odds-on (under $2) for her past 12 races
* Aiming to join legendary Kingston Town as the only horses to win the Cox Plate three times
WHERE’S SHE HEADED?
She’s back on deck on Monday with a barrier trial at 8.45am at Randwick, before another trial in a fortnight.
“She’s in great shape. Her action’s great and her demeanour is very straight forward as it always is,” jockey Hugh Bowman said after riding trackwork on Friday.
BUT WHEN IS SHE REALLY BACK?
Pencil in the Group Two Warwick Stakes on August 19. Trainer Chris Waller expects that will be the first of four or five runs this spring, culminating in a tilt at a record-equalling third Cox Plate.
WHAT ELSE IS ON THE AGENDA?
August 19 – Warwick Stakes (1400m)
September 2 – Chelmsford Stakes (1600m)
September 16 – George Main Stakes (1600m)
October 14 – either the Craven Plate (2000m) or Caulfield Stakes (2000m)
October 28 – Cox Plate (2040m)
In 2016, Waller opted to freshen Winx up instead of running her in the Chelmsford Stakes, so don’t be alarmed if she misses that again.
“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,” Waller said.
CAN THE PUBLIC SEE HER TRIAL ON MONDAY?
Yes. It will be broadcast on Racing NSW’s homepage with video replays available. Just don’t expect her to win, given her underwhelming trial record of 14:0-0-7.
“It’s a hard one for the public to understand. They’ll see her go there and expect her to win – she won’t,” Waller said.
Like any sports coach in pre-season, he is looking for signs she’s fit and ready for another spring assault.
“I’ll get my own feedback from how I think she looks and (her) body language. Two weeks later, (she’ll give) a little bit more and it’s then off to the races.”
