Glyn eyes Prized scalp
WINX’S aura of invincibility shines as bright as ever but rival jockey Glyn Schofield believes now is a good time to take on the champion mare.
Schofield rides Prized Icon against Winx in the $600,000 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Schofield and Prized Icon will be trying to do what no horse has managed to do since the 2015 ATC Oaks, and that’s beat the great mare.
Winx is set to become the most decorated horse in Australian racing history on Saturday when she attempts to break Black Caviar’s record of 15 Group 1 wins, as well as becoming the first horse to win two Group 1 races three times.
Winx was yesterday listed $1.08 favourite with Ladbrokes a to win a third Chipping Norton Stakes, which would match her memorable Cox Plate treble.
Typically, her jockey Hugh Bowman was confident she would win despite going to 1600m first-up.
She missed a planned run over 1400m in the Apollo Stakes a fortnight ago when connections elected not to run her until Bowman was free to ride after a suspension.
“I can’t see 1600m first-up being a problem,” he said.
“Everything feels normal and it was there to see a couple of weeks ago in her barrier trial. She felt to me that she was where she needs to be.”
But Schofield believes the first run in her preparation can be when Winx is at her weakest, adding a dry track will give him his best chance to spring an upset on Prized Icon.
“Prized Icon’s third-up, rock-hard fit and if Winx wasn’t in the race I’d be pretty confident,” he said.
“We’ve seen in the past that she’s been a bit vulnerable first, but her class has carried her through.
“If something happens on Saturday where she fluffs her lines, I hope it’s my horse that picks up the pieces because he’s a genuine Group 1 horse.”