Winx confirmed for Flemington
Winx will race at Flemington for the first time in her illustrious career after trainer Chris Waller opted for the Turnbull Stakes as the mare’s next start, delivering a huge blow to Sydney’s inaugural staging of The Everest next month.
Waller and Winx’s owners confirmed on Wednesday morning the six-year-old, which has won 20 straight races, would head to Melbourne for the Group I Turnbull Stakes on October 7 as her final run before a tilt at winning a third Cox Plate.
While stabled at Waller’s Flemington base for each of her last two Cox Plate preparations, the mare had never actually started in a race at Flemington, arguably Australia’s greatest racetrack.
But the three-week gap before the Cox Plate appears a perfect scenario for Waller, who was widely understood to be leaning towards running Winx in a heavily inflated Craven Plate to complement the inaugural running of the $10 million Everest at Randwick a week later.
Waller will also remove Winx’s ear muffs for the Turnbull Stakes after applying the gear for her past two wins – the Chelmsford Stakes and George Main Stakes – having blundered at the start of the Warwick Stakes in her first run of the campaign.
‘‘The sole reason for running [in the Turnbull Stakes] as the most likely option is simply based on the timing of the current program, which will provide her with three weeks between runs from the George Main to the Turnbull and another three weeks into the Cox Plate for her fifth run of the campaign,’’ Waller said in a statement.
‘‘Whilst this is her intended path, if she was not to run in the Turnbull it would be my intention to run in the Craven Plate on October 14 at Royal Randwick before heading to Melbourne in preparation for the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
‘‘As has always been the case, I will continue to be guided by the horse and what I feel is best for her when planning her racing preparations.
‘‘I am very mindful of how well received she is each time she races, however her longevity is of the utmost importance and this is evident by the limited racing she does each preparation.’’
Victorian Racing Club officials have tried to woo Winx’s owners in recent months to ensure Australia’s best horse doesn’t finish her career without a start at Flemington. And they’ve succeeded.
The Turnbull Stakes will also help jockey Hugh Bowman’s push in the International World Jockey standings given the Flemington Group I is a race that fits into the criteria.
Waller also hinted a three-start European campaign could be on the cards next year, but would reserve a decision until during the Sydney autumn carnival as she chases down a slew of Australian racing records.
‘‘Providing she is well she will either run during The Championships in the Group I Queen Elizabeth Stakes and look to target a race during the Royal Ascot carnival or be freshened up subsequent to the George Ryder Stakes and be targeted towards a European campaign containing three races over a range of distances,’’ Waller said.