WINX DOES IT AGAIN
Champ sets personal best in Apollo victory
WINX continues to defy the ageing process, recording the fastest 1400m of her remarkable career in her comeback Apollo Stakes win at Royal Randwick last Saturday.
The champion mare stopped the clock at 1m 20.88s, a race record and the first time she has gone under 1m 21s for 1400m in nine attempts.
Winx glided past old rival Happy Clapper to win by a widening margin without any undue pressure from jockey Hugh Bowman – yet she has still produced a brilliant time.
Winx might be a rising eight-year-old but on the evidence of this win, she seems to be going as well as ever.
This has prompted suggestions Winx could race on for another season and still be a dominant force but trainer Chris Waller and owner Peter Tighe shut down that debate by confirming the great mare will be retired at the end of her autumn campaign.
Winx’s 30th consecutive win in the Apollo Stakes was the cause for celebration for her legion of fans but for Waller and Tighe it was more relief.
The decision to give Winx a farewell Sydney autumn preparation has been vindicated by her stunning return to racing last Saturday.
Waller said Winx pulled up in great order after the race and was enjoying an “ice bath” yesterday to help her recovery.
She will aim for a 23rd Group 1 win in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick on March 2.
Tighe confirmed Winx will begin the next phase of her life as a broodmare.