Big punters bet against Winx four-peat

The world only has to wait three more days to see the champion galloper Winx race again and most are expecting her to run three more times after this weekend before she’s retired.

But the big punters aren’t so sure, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Winx resumes in the group two Apollo Stakes (1400m) on Saturday at Royal Randwick and the general thinking is that she will repeat what she’s done in past preparations.

The Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on March 2 will follow this Saturday’s run, then she will head back home to Rosehill Gardens for the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) on March 23 before her swan song in the A$4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at The Championships on April 13.

If all goes to plan, Winx will win all four starts and extend her famous winning streak to 33. The Australian TAB is offering $2.20 for Winx to win all four races this preparation but that’s not where most of the big bets have come.

Many bets of $5000 or more have been for her to only extend her winning streak to 32, which is paying $1.70. The biggest bet of $60,000, however, has been for her to win four races this preparation, and another of $20,000 has been laid.

On Saturday, Winx is set to start at about the $1.10 mark in the race she missed last year due to Hugh Bowman’s suspension.

Winx missing a race could possibly occur if this happens again because connections don’t want another jockey to ride her. But if she was to win her first three races as planned, the punters who took $2.20 for her to win four races would be more than happy.

That’s because the Queen Elizabeth Stakes is considered the race in which she’s least vulnerable. In her two wins in the race, Winx has won by 5.3 lengths and 3.8 lengths and she looked invincible on both occasions.

Bowman has always said a fast-run 2000m race is where punters get to see Winx at her best.

Her main rival this weekend will be multiple Group 1 winner and Randwick track specialist Happy Clapper, but even his connections hold little hope of knocking her off.

Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy rides Winx’s stablemate and group one winner Unforgotten and he too knows it will take a miracle to knock off Winx.

“She’s in good nick and worked well on Tuesday morning but we’re up against a wonder mare. Nothing more can be said,” McEvoy said.

The $2.20 about her winning four races this preparation are tasty odds. But money speaks all languages.