Winx ticks all boxes for Waller

A FAULTLESS few weeks since Winx’s Turnbull Stakes win has the champion mare perfectly placed for tomorrow’s attempt at a recordequalling third Cox Plate.

“The Cox Plate last year we said on that day it had to be a champion to beat her because she was as good as we could have her,” trainer Chris Waller said yesterday.

“Nothing’s changed going into this year’s Cox Plate.

“Her semi-final run in the Turnbull was very impressive. It will be a stronger field but her work since then, and a perfect three-week gap between races, couldn’t have been any better. So that to me would suggest she’s very well . . . every check that we’re looking for has been perfect.”

Winx is the $1.15 favourite to join Kingston Town as a three-time Cox Plate winner. Unbeaten in her past 21 starts, she faces eight rivals and Waller said everything had gone to plan leading in.

“We know we’ve got the right horse, a great jockey, the right race, and everything has worked towards this since she won the Cox Plate last year,” he said.

“We’re just trying to keep everything in a similar pattern to last year and thankfully everything has gone well.”

He said condition-wise, Winx was carrying more weight, suggesting she was a stronger horse with more muscle.

“Does it really make them run faster? I don’t know,” he said. “Potentially it could make them a little bit more explosive. But it’s hard to detract when she did set a track record as a lighter horse as a fouryear-old and won by the biggest margin as a five-year-old.

“She is now, as a six-yearold, in good form and still holding together very well.”

Winx galloped at Moonee Valley on Tuesday and did three-quarter pace work at Flemington yesterday.

Waller is well aware of the history surrounding Winx’s third Cox Plate bid.

Victory would also see Winx overtake Makybe Diva as Australian racing’s highest prizemoney earner and join Black Caviar on a record 15 Group 1 wins.

“We understand the level of expectation of everybody and it’s fantastic to see it’s a sellout crowd,” he said. “It really is a proud moment for our sport and us that’s directly involved with Winx.”