Champion mare Winx is set to make a return to racing during the Spring Carnival with her sights set on a fifth Cox Plate.
Connections of the mare have opted to bypass this years breeding season to target the star mare at a fifth Cox Plate following a lack of any quality local and International competition with has been impacted with travel and COVID.
“The decision to return Winx into work was after a long debate between the ownership group but as she will have an extended break from motherhood the idea to race her again had always been in the back of our minds.” Waller said.
“The lack of competition however made the decision a little easier as the ranks for Australia’s WFA milers is weak and with COVID restrictions it is unlikely many International horses will make the trip”
“She beat Dreamforce by over 6 lengths in the George Ryder and he has come out and been beaten a whisker this year which shows the level of competition at the moment”
“At this stage their has been no decision on when or where she will return but it is likely she will follow a similar path to what she has in the past”
Winx will make her way back into Chris Waller’s Sydney stables in the next few weeks for a short preparation prior to going into full work once again during Winter with the mares likely return race being the G1 named in her honour the Winx Stakes which was formally known as the Warwick Stakes.
Winx last raced in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on 13th April 2019 which gave her 33 consecutive race wins including 25 Group One wins and took her prize money to over A$26 million.
Winx became the first horse in history to win the prestigious Cox Plate four times. She won the 2018 Secretariat Vox Populi Award, the top choice among race fans in a record 60 countries.
On 24th June 2019, her connections announced that her first mating would be to champion sire I Am Invincible however she sadly lost her foal (a filly) as a newborn.
The decision comes as connections have decided to give the mare an extended period away from motherhood following the complication.
Following the news online bookmaker Ladbrokes has installed Winx as the $2.50 favourite in the 2021 Cox Plate with her main opposition based on the market being stablemate Verry Elleegant who won the Ranvet Stakes on the weekend.
