After Winx's record-breaking win, connections ponder Ascot
– Australian super-mare Winx’s record-breaking performance at the weekend has inevitably led to ever-louder calls for her to be campaigned internationally.
A mooted visit to the UK’s Royal Ascot meeting later this year has been in the air for some time. But the competing attraction of a possible fourth consecutive victory in the Cox Plate, one of Australia’s most prestigious horse races, is also weighing on the minds of Winx’s connections.
After her remarkable victory in the George Ryder Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill on Saturday, trainer Chris Waller hinted a decision on making the trip to Royal Ascot in June could be made as soon as this week.
“To be fair to the owners we haven’t even discussed Royal Ascot yet,” Waller told the Herald Sun.
“Obviously we know when it is and what the races are in Europe but today was very important to see her come back and be fairly dominant.
“For now, it’s on to the Queen Elizabeth in three weeks’ time. It’s the signature race in Sydney, which we were never really going to miss.
“But we’ve got to talk about coming back, if she went to Europe, to race in her fourth Cox Plate. She can only really go there for one run, possibly two, but we’ve got to put all the cards on the table.
“We will let you all know. Her career has never been hidden and we do respect everyone that follows her here and on the other side of the world.”
Winx carved out another piece of racing history as she set a new world record for Group or Grade 1 wins on the flat with her 17th success at the highest level in the George Ryder.
Steered home by regular jockey Hugh Bowman, the mare registered her 24th consecutive victory, eclipsing American star John Henry’s previous record of 16 Grade 1 wins. John Henry's mark was set across five seasons in the early 1980s.
Waller said he was just pleased she had preserved her winning streak.
He added: “It’s like you’re playing for the All Blacks and you’re about to get dropped. It’s a sick feeling in your guts every time she goes around.”
Such is Winx's versatility that she was able to drop back in trip to claim a third straight George Ryder, although she was made to work for victory by Happy Clapper, who chased her home by three parts of a length.
On the pressure that comes with trying to maintain Winx's streak, Waller added: “The intensity is just unexplainable. I don’t know why, or if it is just me. You enjoy the after part of the race, crossing the line.
“You are just thinking of her all the time. Not for everything else, but to make sure the horse is alright.”
That pressure is not only felt by Waller, as part-owner Peter Tighe explained. – racingpost.com