Winx attempts to match Black Caviar’s 25-win run
The eyes of the racing world are on the second day of The Championships on Saturday, more precisely the superstar mare Winx, as she looks for her 25th consecutive win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
A winning streak attracts attention, but a more multicultural media pack than was at Rosehill for sunrise on Thursday would be hard to find.
They just wanted to grab a moment with Winx, her trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman.
If there was ever an indication of what is considered the best horse in the world, this was it.
‘‘Chris you are not just a trainer in this case but you are a steward of the best horse in the world?’’ American racing channel TVG’s Mike Joyce asked.
Winx has played second fiddle to American dirt champ Arrogate for the world’s best tag in 2016 and 2017.
‘‘I only take that into consideration when they announce the leading horse in the world each year.
‘‘Perhaps, the week leading into the announcement, hoping she is going to get that accolade,’’ Waller said.
‘‘The rest of the time I’m focused on her, making sure she is all right, making sure we are not doing too much with her.’’
Waller is known for being meticulous, but he had to enjoy what his hard work has achieved.
‘‘We have been in this situation for 2-1/2 years. It has been three years this winning streak,’’ he said.
‘‘The first six to 12 months there wasn’t a lot of pressure but since then she has captured the racing world, then the sporting world and now the general public.
‘‘With that she has created overseas attention, which we are very proud of.’’ From CNN to a Korea racing channel, as well as the major broadcasters from pillars of the racing world, England, France and the United States. All were at Rosehill.
If Winx wouldn’t go to the world, with her owners announcing she wouldn’t travel to Europe last month, the world would have come to her on the eve of her attempt to match the longest modern-day winning streak, which currently resides with Black Caviar.
It is an event that deserves a record crowd at Randwick, just as Black Caviar had five years ago for her 25th and final win in the TJ Smith, when the new grandstand was opened.
The world was aware of Black Caviar but Winx operates at the classic international trip of 2000m.
She has fans from the four corners of the world including Japan, whose press arrived with an interpreter in tow. Bowman, who won the Japan Cup last year, answering some of their questions in their native tongue.
He has known Winx’s impact for a while but on Thursday it came to her home track, not for a race meeting but an exhibition gallop.
‘‘It dawned on me a while ago when people from the outside of the world come to you.
‘‘People who have seen lots of good horses – jockeys, trainers, strappers – and all they want to know about is Winx,’’ the world’s best jockey explained.
‘‘They watch her in awe, the way she travels up against good opposition and beats them comfortably.
‘‘She is world famous. Just being part of a horse like that is so good. It is why I wanted to be a jockey.’’
Waller mentioned Winx had been ‘‘the Longines top-rated horse of the year on turf for the past two years,’’ but he spoke of his superstar and her ability to win against the odds during the winning run, which included three Cox Plates among 17 Group I victories.
‘‘She does seem to have that determination to win and get herself out of often difficult situations,’’ he said.
‘‘She has, perhaps, that air of arrogance on raceday, where she knows she can pick them up and whatever she puts her body through she seems to do that.
‘‘We haven’t found a point where it has become too tough for her, although it has come close [a couple of times].
‘‘She certainly knows what she is here for, she is enjoying her life and her body language suggests she is a happy horse.’’