Champion mare Winx rockets to 31st straight

. . . she’s just an amazing athlete.’’’

A gallant Happy Clapper has made Winx work for her latest record-setting feat in the Chipping Norton Stakes yesterday, but she has no peer and simply eased past him to claim a 23rd Group One win at Randwick.

The crowds lining the straight gave her a reception befitting her status as the world’s best when jockey Hugh Bowman shook her reins and told her the winning post was near.

She is probably more aware than any other horse exactly where that is, having reached it first 35 times, the past 31 in a row. Her fourth Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) equals the run of Tie The Knot from 1999-2002 and she now stands alone at the top of the Group One tree after passing European jumper Hurricane Fly.

‘‘This horse is a, I say, once in a generation but maybe she’s a once in history,’’ Bowman said. ‘‘She’s really that special.’’ In another era, the popular Happy Clapper and his equally popular trainer Pat Webster, would be hailed as champions, especially over the Randwick mile.

‘‘Its probably one of his best runs ever outside of winning the Doncaster,’’ Webster said.

‘‘Hughie was just kidding. The only time at the 600m his elbows were going and then he was just kidding after that.’’

Blake Shinn took the gelding to the front and stretched his lead to six lengths coming to the turn, laying down the gauntlet to Winx who was moving up from midfield.

She strode past majestically, but Happy Clapper didn’t give up, finishing 13⁄4 lengths second with a gap of 33⁄4 lengths to thirdplaced Unforgotten.

‘‘I must admit, if I was on any other horse I probably would have given up hope but she’s just an amazing athlete,’’ said Bowman.

As Winx nears the end of her career, trainer Chris Waller is just trying to enjoy the last moments, but the nerves are still there.

And Winx tested his nerves when she got a bit agitated in the barrier and then had to stand still while Libran was backed out and inspected.

‘‘I thought it would do her the world of good to tell you the truth. She can be like that at the start of a prep,’’ he said.

‘‘It did her good to stand there afterwards. No cotton wool treatment – we wouldn’t expect any.

‘‘It was certainly no easy feat,’’ he said.

Winx will run next in the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill in three weeks.

JOCKEY HUGH BOWMAN