No Winx a plus for Kiwi star

KIWI star Gingernuts will make his long-awaited Melbourne debut in tomorrow’s Emirates Stakes (2000m).

Trainer Steve Autridge said connections had achieved one of their aims, as they will not be taking on Winx.

Gingernuts was originally coming Melbourne to contest the Caulfield Cup, but those plans were discarded when rain forced the postponement of their planned lead-in run, the Livamol Classic at Hastings.

Connections then considered contesting the Cox Plate with Gingernuts, but they decided to focus on the Emirates Stakes instead.

The Livamol Classic was rescheduled to Caulfield Cup day and Gingernuts finished an unlucky second.

Before that he won the Group 1 Horlicks Plate over 1600m, also at Hastings.

“He’s been here for a week and he’s settled in really well. I can’t be happier with him,” Autridge said.

“There’s no Winx, which is a plus, but we were coming anyway, but I’m glad she’s not there.”

Last autumn Gingernuts won the New Zealand Derby and also the Rosehill Guineas before he finished fifth in the Australian Derby.

Autridge said the Emirates Stakes would be the toughest test of Gingernuts career as it was a strong weight-for-age race.

“We believe he’s up to it though,” he said.