The owners of Australia’s best racehorse, Winx, are feeling the pressure as the mighty mare looks for her 10th consecutive win.
The five-year-old will kick off her spring campaign in the Group Two Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Part-owner Debbie Kepitis said the pressure for Winx to perform was building with every win.
As the daughter of Bob Ingham, Kepitis is no stranger to the expectations of racing.
The Ingham family raced champions Octagonal and his son Lonhro but Kepitis admits it’s different with Winx.
“You only have to look at the racebook and see all those 1s – the picket fence – it’s a scary thing,” Kepitis said on Thursday morning at Rosehill after Winx’s final trackwork before the race.
Winx has been in work for three months preparing for her return.
“There’s always an air of confidence when you have a good horse, but I feel that when they come back for their first race it’s always the hardest race to win,” Kepitis said.
“She looks better, she looks stronger, but until she races on Saturday you really don’t know. But it won’t matter to us. For the public’s sake I want her to win.”
Trainer Chris Waller is also feeling the weight of expectation to secure Winx’s winning streak.
“The public pressure is greater than any other horse I’ve trained,” Waller said.
“It’s certainly a pleasure to be a part of her career but also important that we continue on with the winning sequence.”
