WINX IN FORM FOR COX PLATE

Star mare shaping up for Cox Plate: Waller

WINX is in a maintenance phase as she steams promisingly towards a tilt at Cox Plate history.

The star mare worked over 1200m at Moonee Valley yesterday morning with jockey Hugh Bowman, working at three-quarter pace before she “breezed up” over the last 400m, trainer Chris Waller said.

“She went through her gears nicely and was full of running at the completion of her work,” he said.

“Hugh Bowman was very complimentary of how she felt and was extremely pleased with where she is at leading into the Cox Plate.”

The seven-year-old superstar marked her 28th consecutive victory in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington less than a fortnight ago, with Waller saying she had come through the race without issue. He said before yesterday’s gallop that the mare was “ticking along nicely” and confirmed she would engage in an exhibition gallop at next Tuesday’s Breakfast with the Best at Moonee Valley.

“She’s well. She’s good — ticking along nicely,” Waller said at Caulfield.

“She’ll just do maintenance work (from now on).

“Breakfast with the Best is always a good morning for her just to get there and just a bit of excitement out of her in between runs.

“She normally has an exhibition gallop, so Breakfast with the Stars will be good for just taking the edge off her, a little.”

Before he was reunited with his heroine partner of the track, Bowman said he was keeping things simple ahead of a crack at a fourth-straight win in the $5 million feature.

“Just to make sure she’s feeling well and happy and nice and relaxed (is the focus),” he said.

Godolphin raider Benbatl looms as a key contender for the richest weight-for-age race in Australia next Saturday and Bowman said the British galloper should not be discounted as a potential roadblock to Winx’s path to history. “(I’m) very respectful of him,” he said.

“He would stand out, yes. But I don’t disregard other opponents. He has to be respected wherever he goes, he’s always consistent.

“If he turns up on the day, he’s right up there. But I’ll worry about the field when I see it.”