Hartnell not up to Winx – trainer
THE Chipping Norton Stakes is all but over two days out from the big race with the trainer of Winx’s main rival conceding he can’t beat the champion mare this weekend.
Winx remains on track to start the shortest-priced favourite in a Sydney Group 1 race for more than 50 years after she reopened a $1.10 chance with UBET when drawing barrier four for the Randwick feature yesterday.
Her main rival Hartnell ($7.50) drew the outside gate in the 10-horse field in contrast and Godolphin trainer John O’Shea admits his charge can’t topple Winx this Saturday.
“No, I never thought we could, especially not at a mile,” O’Shea said.
Pressed on whether Hartnell could end Winx’s winning streak over 2000m with conditions to suit (wet track) in April’s $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes, O’Shea replied: “We might be able to get close to her. We’ve never met her on a day when I thought we could beat her.
“If we got to 10 furlongs in the Queen Elizabeth at Randwick on a day when the track was rain affected, I think we can give Winx a competitive race. I don’t think that’ll come (until) we get to the Queen Elizabeth. Hartnell is a very effective horse at 10 furlongs to a mile and a half, Winx is a very effective horse from six furlongs to a mile and a quarter.
“He’s not effective at Moonee Valley, she’s dynamic there, she’s a champion and Hartnell’s just a really good horse.”
Trainer Chris Waller said everything had gone according to plan with Winx since her dominant first-up Apollo Stakes win on February 13.
“She had a quiet gallop Saturday and she had a stronger gallop Tuesday and pleased myself and Hugh (Bowman),” Waller said.
“She pulled up well and she will have a very quiet gallop (today) and it will be more pacework than a gallop.
“Condition-wise she looks picture perfect.”
The Chipping Norton Stakes appears devoid of genuine speed but O’Shea suggested Hartnell won’t be aggressive from his wide gate.
“The outside barrier is not ideal because we’ll have to drag back and there’ll be a lot of slow ones in front of us,” he said. “We just want him to have a good, positive day and hit the line hard.”