Winx in ‘peak condition’

CHRIS Waller has declared Winx in “the peak of condition” as the wonder mare prepares to chase more history in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

Bidding for a 21st successive Group 1 victory and 28th triumph in a row, Winx has thrived since relocating to Melbourne ahead of a historic fourth Cox Plate tilt at The Valley on October 27.

“She’s settled in perfectly,” Waller marvelled. “She’s in great condition. I can’t say much more about her. Each preparation she comes up the same as before.

“Every preparation before she was getting bigger and stronger, but in the last 12 months she hasn’t changed much at all in terms of growth — but she hasn’t gone backwards in terms of ability.

“She recovers well from her races, she prepares well for her races and we’re there again on Saturday with a well-prepared horse in the peak of her condition.”

Waller said he brought Winx to Melbourne two weeks before the Turnbull to minimise risks.

“That’s why we brought her down early to make sure there was no risk of travel sickness,” he said.

“She’s an amazing horse. There’s no copybook for a horse like her.”

Waller said Flemington’s track would suit Winx perfectly, regardless of weather conditions.

“I looked at the track at Flemington the other day and it’s in pristine condition. It had good grass cover,” he said.

“She’s effective on all ground. She’s won on rock- hard tracks to the heaviest of tracks. It’s pretty good for a horse trainer going to bed not knowing what the weather’s going to do.”

Likely to face a small but select field, Winx has already been installed as TAB $1.20 favourite for the Turnbull — and she could start at the shortest price of her glorious career.

If fewer than expected rivals materialise, Winx almost certainly start at an even more prohibitive quote.

Ranked No 1 on the Longines world’s best horse standings, Winx has started — and won — three times as $1.09 favourite, most recently in the Chipping Norton Stakes in March.

In current TAB markets, Humidor is second favourite at $9 for the Turnbull but Darren Weir said Caulfield Cup fancy Kings Will Dream will be his only runner.

There have already been three significant wagers on Winx at her current price — $16,050 and $10,000 and $8000.

Waller will nominate Winx, Youngstar and Unforgotten, while Jon Snow and Divine Unicorn are also probable con- tenders and David Hayes has confirmed last year’s runnerup Ventura Storm will return.

“He’s going as well as last year and he can run for second,” Hayes said.

In a sign of how intimidating Winx is, leviathan owner Lloyd Williams will not field any of his string against her.

Williams last year was represented by Assign (fourth) and Sir Isaac Newton (fifth)

Winx faced only six rivals in last year’s Turnbull, steaming to a 6.5 length win over Ventura Storm and Humidor.

Prizemoney of $10,000 is paid down to eighth place.