Winx sets record in holding off Humidor

IN terms of times, WINX broke her own track record in winning a third Cox Plate.

Winx bettered her 2015 time of 2:02.98 by .04 seconds, recording 2:02.94 on Saturday.

Although she only had a long neck to spare, another factor to throw in the mix was that Winx was tracked to have run 2074m, eight metres further than runner-up Humidor.

Jockey Hugh Bowman said he rode Winx arrogantly and he was prepared to cover the extra ground in order to prevent the mare from being blocked in.

Between the 800m and the 400m, Winx flattened the pedal, running the 400m in 22.45 sec.

Winx ran her final 200m in 11.89, compared to Humidor’s 11.98. Humidor’s time between the 400m and 200m was 11.98 compared to Winx’s 12.01.

Looking towards the VRC Oaks, ALOISIA’s stunning win in the Group 2 Vase catapulted her into odds-on for the November 9 race. She ran 2:04.24, which was slower than Winx, but reeled off her final 200m 11.81.

Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds has Houtzen in his stable, but his other threeyear-old, EPTIMUM, might be every bit as good as her judging by his time in winning over 1200m at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Eptimum covered the distance in 1:09.98, which was 0.02 sec slower than Hey Doc ran in winning the Manikato Stakes the previous night.

The impressive part of the win was his closing last 200m of 10.96, which was also equalled by race runner-up SINGLE BULLET.

SURJIN, who finished second last, came home in 10.87, which was the fastest last 200m for the day.

Another course record was set by the Sydney mare LUBITON, who easily won the Tesio Stakes, recording a course record 1:34.42.

Her last 200m was only 12.84 sec, but she had already destroyed her rivals with sustained speed from the outset, running a sectional 10.82 be- tween the 1400m and 1200m.

It was a strong win by BANISH in the Fillies Classic as she covered more ground than any other runner and ran home in 11.54. The fastest 200m sectionals for the day were recorded by SIRBIBLE and GEE GEES JET, who both recorded 10.33 between the 800m and the 600m in the 955m sprint, the Strathmore Community Handicap. Nikita Beriman was full of praise for Sirbible’s run, saying he took a step backwards at the start and, in her eyes, that cost him the race.