Winx sister debut near

HALL of Fame trainer Chris Waller erred on the side of caution and decided against sending champion Winx’s half-sister Covent Garden to the races for the first time at Warwick Farm yesterday.

Covent Garden drew wide for the Sky Racing Active Plate (1200m) and after overnight rain tipped Warwick Farm’s track rating into the heavy range, Waller scratched his high-profile filly.

Godolphin’s Silhouette won the race.

But race fans may not have to wait much longer to see

Winx’s sibling at the races because Waller has accepted with Covent Garden for the Harry Angel At Darley Handicap (1100m) at Canterbury Park tomorrow.

The two-year-old race has nine starters and Covent Garden has drawn perfectly in barrier two.

Waller (pictured) has booked Winx’s regular jockey, Hugh Bowman, to ride Covent Garden at Canterbury, where the track rating is currently a heavy 10. But as usual he is covering all the bases and has also nominated the filly for a possible home-track debut at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Prominent breeder-owner John Camilleri, who bred and sold Winx as a yearling, has retained Covent Garden to race.

Covent Garden, by Exceed And Excel, is out of Vegas Showgirl, the dam of mighty mare Winx, the winner of 37 of 43 starts, including her last 33 races to earn a world record $26.4 million prizemoney.

The Canterbury meeting tomorrow has attracted only 58 final acceptors, which has resulted in a disappointing sixrace program.