Winx goes for 20 straight in George Main
Winx has been described as ‘‘picture perfect’’ by trainer Chris Waller ahead of her shot at a 20th straight win at Randwick on Saturday.
Winx has drawn barrier one in the George Main Stakes where she will again be up against Red Excitement after powering past the gelding to win the Chelmsford Stakes after he set up a big lead mid-race.
‘‘Red Excitement had quite a break on us but when she spotted that horse in front she really motored at him,’’ jockey Hugh Bowman said.
‘‘I could feel her will to win and her tenacity to be first past the post and for me that was very special’’.
Saturday’s Group I over 1600m weight-for-age is another step towards the Cox Plate for Winx.
Trainer Chris Waller is hoping the mare will match the record currently held by Kingston Town when she competes in her third Cox Plate win in October.
‘‘Winx is like Usain Bolt, he does not look like the winner at the 50 metre mark, it’s the last 30 metres that he really starts to excel’’ Waller told AAP..
Winx is at $1.08 to defend her title in the George Main.
The world’s highest-rated sprinter Chautauqua has been described as ‘‘a freak’’ by cotrainer Michael Hawkes ahead of his return at Randwick.
‘‘With Winx you know what you’re going to get,’’ Hawkes told reporters on Thursday.
‘‘Whereas with our bloke it’s a bit different because he’s a bit like a Harry Houdini.
‘‘He just gets out of places that he probably shouldn’t get out of.’’
Hawkes was referring to Chautauqua’s finishing bursts last seen when the grey flash came from last to win his third successive TJ Smith Stakes in April.
‘‘A lot of people probably thought he couldn’t win’’ Hawkes said.
The 7-year-old gelding runs over 1100m in The Shorts at Randwick on Saturday.
Chautauqua is the favourite for the inaugural running of Australia’s richest race, the $10 million Everest.
Kiwi Chocante Kingston Town Saturday’s meeting. runs in Stakes the at