It seems Winx had an easier time in the Warwick Stakes than those watching with her trainer saying she has come through the race better than ever.
After missing the start by four lengths in Saturday’s Warwick Stakes, Winx showed why she is the world’s best horse on turf when she made up the ground with a scintillating surge down the straight.
Under cool riding from Hugh Bowman, she reeled in her stablemate Foxplay to extend her winning streak to 18 and trainer Chris Waller said the run had not seemed to have any adverse effect.
“I went and saw her 15 minutes after the race and you wouldn’t have known she’d had a run,” Waller told Sky Sports Radio.
“She pulled up as well as I’ve seen her in a first-up run before. I guarantee its the best she’s ever pulled up.
“The first-up run is so important – it sets the whole preparation.
“You just want to see them come back.”
Waller and Foxplay, who live next door to each other and do most things together, went on an excursion to Botany Bay on Sunday morning for a swim, something that is part of their routine.
Waller will stick to the plan to run Winx in the Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) on September 2 rather than wait longer and have her too fresh on race day.
Winx could have another three runs in Sydney on the way to a tilt at a record-equalling third Cox Plate in late October but she could also have one in Melbourne.
“It’s just one run at a time, and we want her in the Cox Plate in the best possible condition and the right outcome at the end,” Waller said.
When she reared up in the barrier, Winx managed to break the transmitter that records the sectional times but experts clocked her breaking 32 seconds for the final 600 metres of the 1400m-race.
