WHERE TO NOW FOR CHAMPION WINX?

WINX’S part-owner Peter Tighe has revealed if the champion mare races at Royal Ascot next year it will rule out any chance of an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate.

“This is the decision we have to make – if we go to England we can’t go to the Cox Plate,’’ Tighe said.

“There is not enough time, she will need a spell at some stage and there are quarantine restrictions to consider. So, that is the catalyst for what we are going to do — we have to decide if we are going to England or to target the Queen Elizabeth Stakes next autumn and then another Cox Plate.’’

To complicate the decision further for Winx’s owner and trainer Chris Waller, they are being courted to take the great mare to race at some of the major northern hemisphere racing centres next year.

“British Racing is putting together (race) programs for Winx in England, France and Ireland,’’ Tighe said.

“I met representatives from the Japan Racing Association and Hong Kong Jockey Club, who were asking about racing her in those jurisdictions. We even get offered (appearance) money but it is not about the money, never has been.

“There are a million scenar- ios and nothing has been decided. Everything is on the radar, even the Emirates Stakes at Flemington in two weeks.’’

Waller is giving Winx a few days to get over her third Cox Plate before making any decisions on whether the champion mare races again in spring.

Winx ran below her best but was still good enough to break her own track record to claim a historic third successive Cox Plate.

Form guru Gary Crispe said Winx returned a Timeform rating of 126 when holding off Humidor in an epic finish at Moonee Valley on Saturday. But this is a rating well below the figures she returned winning the Turnbull Stakes earlier this month and particularly her Cox Plate effort last year.

“Winx ran to a 126 rating, which is the same figure she returned winning her first Cox Plate in 2015,’’ Crispe said. “She then ran to a 133 rating last year when she won her second Cox Plate by eight lengths. But there are a few factors why she didn’t rate so highly. She had some tough racing this spring, it was her fifth run this campaign and it was a hard track.

“I liken it a bit to Black Caviar’s Diamond Jubilee stakes win – it was Winx’s most courageous win without being her best win.’’