The enormity of Winx’s record fourth Cox Plate hit trainer Chris Waller as he filmed the crowd on his phone.
Waller again watched his champion mare’s two minutes of brilliance on a screen in the relative quiet of the jockeys’ weighing room at Moonee Valley, after kicking out a sneaky TV camera.
He could hear, but not see, the 38,000 people willing Winx to win.
Jockey Hugh Bowman could feel the electricity going through his body turning into the home straight and heard the crowd erupt.
“When I let her go I heard the crowd roar. The reaction was electric.
“It was a feeling I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Waller, too, will never forget the day Winx cemented her place in the history books with an unprecedented fourth win in Australasia’s $5 million weight-for-age championship.
His emotions broke through as he spoke about preserving the crowd’s reaction on his phone.
“I don’t really get a chance to reflect on how important she is to people,” he said, his voice breaking.
“You hear it but you don’t see it.
“And I’ll probably take it with me for the rest of my life.
“It’s such a special place to be and to win four Cox Plates, I hadn’t even thought about doing it, let alone today.”
The record of the world’s best racehorse speaks for itself: four consecutive Cox Plates, $22.88 million in prize money, a 29th straight victory and 22 wins at Group One level.
Waller doesn’t want to upset anyone by declaring Winx to be the greatest racehorse.
“She’s the greatest that I’ll ever have anything to do with.”
Winx’s record in the Cox Plate is unlikely to be bettered, although the wonder mare’s co-owner Debbie Kepitis won’t declare it will never happen.
“I’m just so proud of her.
“She won four Cox Plates in a row. I won’t say it will never be repeated because there are horses out there that are going to be born in years to come and let’s hope that we have another one as good as this.”
Kepitis was feeling relieved, excited, overwhelmed, ecstatic, well just about every emotion.
“I’ve never had a feeling like this.
“I had three beautiful daughters and I thought that was euphoria. It’s very similar to that.
“What an astounding mare we have got.”
Peter Tighe, who with Kepitis and Richard Treweeke bought Winx for $230,000 in 2013, loves sharing the champion’s wins with the public.
“The more they enjoy the more we enjoy it and we’re glad she can bring this much joy.”
It’s not often you get to witness a moment of sporting history, Tighe reminded the crowd in his acceptance speech.
And if Waller wants to remind himself about that moment, he can replay that video on his phone.
“It will probably get buried with me.”
