With speculation that 2018 may be the year Winx is finally raced overseas, most likely at Royal Ascot in the United Kingdom or Meydan Dubai, she could be given the chance to emulate what great Australians before her have, and win on the biggest stage in the world against the best of the best. Starting with the Grey Flash, we take a look at some of our countries heroes in a list which racing royalty Winx may soon join.
Winx who just won her third straight Cox Plate would no doubt trump the below list of horses (outside of Black Caviar) and if she was to head overseas she would no doubt continue her unbeaten run of form.
Below is a list of some recent Australian stars who have won on the International stage.
Chautauqua:
3-time TJ Smith winner Chautauqua made history in 2016 when he overcame some of the best Hong Kong have to offer, storming home to win the Chairman’s Sprint Prize when starting $2.80 favourite. Trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, the grey gelding was in career-best form before the race at Sha Tin in May 2016, winning the 2015 Manikato Stakes, runner up in the Darley Classic an then taking out the Lightning Stakes and his second consecutive TJ Smith in a matter of months leading up to the Chairman’s Sprint.
Chautauqua beat big names such as Lucky Bubbles, Strathmore, Amazing Kids, Not listenin’tome, Thewiazrdofoz, Peniaphobia and fellow Australian buffering. Uncharacteristically for Chautauqua, he was beaten in the Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes in the 2 runs following his victory in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, failing to place however paying close to even-money favourite on both occasions. The now 7-year-old would not win again until the 2017 TJ Smith however was flying when scratched at the barriers in last year’s Manikato Stakes, with the stable hinting that we may not have seen the best of him yet.
Buffering:
The Queensland champion they call ‘The Buff’ was also a big winner overseas, winning the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Dubai World Cup day 2016. It was Buffering’s first of two consecutive races overseas, winning in Dubai at a starting price of $11 before running last behind Chautauqua in his very next run in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin. In true fashion, Buffering overcame all odds and was up against the well-fancied Ertijaal as well as top HK sprinters Peniaphobia and Not Listenin’tome in his eventual 1L victory in the Al Quoz Sprint. It was the second trip overseas for the 4-time Group 1 winner, running 6th in the Hong Kong Sprint during the Hong Kong International Race Day in December 2014. Buffering would see the barriers just twice more after his return to Australia in 2016, retired after failing to place in the Group 1 Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes. His 55-race career ended with 20 wins, totalling $7,300,194 prize money and was one of racings finest success stories.
Buffering is joined by fellow Australian Ortensia in a select couple from home to have won the Al Quoz Sprint. Ortensia was placed behind Black Caviar in a Group 1 at Flemington back in November 2010 before finishing 5th in the Hong Kong Sprint a month later. Ortensia enjoyed a very good run towards the end of 2011, scoring back to back victories in the Mumm Stakes and Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes, leading up to the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup Day in March 2012. Not only did she win one of the worlds biggest sprint races, she also broke the track record and became the fastest of all time to run the 1000m at Meydan.
Ortensia:
Ridden by Craig Williams, Ortensia paid a handsome $7 to win the race, overcoming the eventual 2015 Al Quoz Sprint winner Sole Power. Ortensia then travelled to the United Kingdom, however unplaced in both the Group 1 Kings Stand at Royal Ascot and the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket. Bouncing back in turn-blue spirit, the then 7-year-old again scored back to back victories, this time at Goodwood in the Group 2 King George Stakes and then the Group 1 Nunthorpe at York in August 2012. The well-travelled mare could only manage a best result of 9th in her next 4 runs upon her return down under and was retired a multiple Group 1 winner after 38 starts for 13 wins, earning $2,480,101.
Black Caviar:
It is nothing short pleasure to talk about the feats achieved by the great Black Caviar and one of the highlights of her career was her performance at Royal Ascot in 2012, winning the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes. A performance so good in fact, that jockey Luke Nolen took the foot off the gas perhaps just a little too far out from home, getting home by the barest of margins in the end after starting $1.16 favourite. She dominated 21 times in Australia before taking on the world, and then did what others couldn’t do, coming back and winning in Australia. Black Caviar was retired after winning the TJ Smith in 2013, amassing $7,953,936 prize money and earning the title as one of, if not the best of all time. Black Caviar remains in an exclusive group of all time greats, finishing her career undefeated after 25 starts.
Apart from the obvious, there have been others from down under try to take on the best with mixed results. Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time was the most recent Australian to travel, however only managing 12th in the Japan Cup, in a field that included recently retired hero Kitasan Black, winner Cheval Grand renowned Japanese stayer and Satono Crown. 2016 Winterbottom Stakes winner Takedown also followed the trend of running the in the Hong Kong Sprint after winning the Perth race in November, however missed out on the minors coming 6th in a typically strong field in the race. Perhaps triggering a demise in the future performance, Takedown was another victim of a poor return home, having not so much as placed since winning the Winterbottom Stakes. Other recent Australian’s to have been tested overseas include Shamal Wind in 2015 (13th in the Kings Stand at Royal Ascot), Brazen Beau in 2015 (Runner up in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, 7th in the July Cup at Newmarket) and also one-time Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Lucia Valentina, running 5th in the 2015 Hong Kong Gold Cup, also on Hong Kong International Race Day.
Got a favourite moment about an Aussie winning overseas? Have your say!
