Winx weaves her magic again
Wonder mare Winx has registered her 21st success at group one level with a consecutive Turnbull Stakes triumph yesterday in her first appearance in Melbourne for the spring.
In front of a huge crowd at Flemington, the champion mare also extended her winning sequence to 28 consecutive victories. And it was the Winx we’ve become so familiar with too, accelerating at the finish to win the $500,000 group one Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
Jockey Hugh Bowman positioned Winx at the rear after she jumped from barrier eight of 10 to register a thrilling win on a near-perfect Flemington surface.
Her latest success edges her closer to $20 million in prizemoney and extends her unbeaten streak well beyond three years.
Bowman admitted after the race he wasn’t happy with her position in the running but the champ came through again.
“Well I wasn’t where I hoped I would be during the race. I didn’t have many choices in amongst that. It is a horse race after all. It’s not just about — well, it is a bit just about Winx, but the other horses are top class horses racing for great prizemoney and doing their best to beat Winx.
“But her champion quality shone once again. It wasn’t my ideal plan to come through the middle of them, but when the pressure went on about the 650 she was left a little flat-footed, because of the slow pace, and I was looking to come to the outside of Grunt, but he couldn’t keep up,” he said.
“I’d already sacrificed probably two and a half lengths trying to get to his outside, when I realised he was out of business and that left me probably four to five lengths to the pack.
“I just let her pick up herself and get through her gears. Once I was at the back of Youngstar I was supremely confident to be honest. It was just that little period through the 500m mark where the race had got away from me.
That’s why she is so good. She overcomes everything.”
Ex-pat Kiwi trainer Chris Waller was as proud as punch after the victory.
“What more can you say? She does us proud every time. We are very proud of her. Proud of wherever she goes. It’s great to see today’s turnout for her. Pretty special.
“You get a few flutters, but once she had clear running, what will be will be,” said Waller.