Wonder of Winx to win the Cup?

IT is the question that intrigues many race fans. Could Winx win a Melbourne Cup?

The nation’s great race will be run without Winx at Flemington today, the mighty mare enjoying a well-deserved spell after claiming her third successive Cox Plate this spring.

Winx is on a famous 22-race winning streak that stretches nearly three years and includes 15 Group 1 races.

But the champion mare has never been entered for a Melbourne Cup and probably never will be. She hasn’t raced beyond 2200m in her career and it is unlikely she will ever be trained for a stamina-sapping 3200m race.

Winx doesn’t need to win a Melbourne Cup to prove her greatness. She is already recognised as one of the best. But for the sake of the exercise, I sought opinion from four of the nation’s most renowned racing experts — bookies Michael Sullivan, Robbie Waterhouse and Grant Palmer, and form guru Mark Morrissey.

All four agree Winx nestles comfortably in the pantheon of the all-time greats but they have differing views of the mare’s chances if she was running in today’s Melbourne Cup. Morrissey believes Irish stayer Johannes Vermeer will win today’s big race but is convinced Winx would have his measure.

“Winx is every bit as good as Makybe Diva, or better, and could win a Melbourne Cup,” Morrissey said. “But I will qualify that statement because if she, hypothetically, was to be set for a Melbourne Cup I doubt she could maintain her unbeaten record.

“The sacrifice for that ambition could be defeats in the shorter lead-up races.

“I say this because she may need that high cruising speed trained out of her if she’s to run the two miles. But I’m sure Chris Waller would disagree with me on that point.’’

Palmer, who has narrowed the Melbourne Cup down to a race between Marmelo, Almandin and Wall Of Fire, has no doubt Winx could be prepared to win a Melbourne Cup.

“The horse and trainer are both freaks and I am sure she would have the capacity to extend out to the two miles,’’ Palmer said.

“If anything, it would be the handicapper beating her.’’

It has been speculated Winx would get at least 60kg, probably more, if she was entered for a Melbourne Cup.

Makybe Diva holds the record-winning weight for a mare in a Melbourne Cup with 58kg, so if Winx was allocated 2kg or more it would seem a bridge too far even for her.

But Waterhouse has a different view, believing Winx is so good she could do the impossible.

“If Winx was trained for a Melbourne Cup and with a ‘modern weight’, she would be favourite,’’ said Waterhouse.