Waller as nervy as any other proud dad

TRAINER Chris Waller admits he is like a proud father when it comes to Winx, who he says is primed for another big campaign.

The mare will make her first public appearance since her Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph in April when she runs in a barrier trial at Rosehill today. The Queen Elizabeth was Winx’s 25th straight win and 18th at Group 1 level, a record unparalleled anywhere in the world.

As usual, her trainer is not expecting her to win the 900m trial but he is happy with her condition and just wants to see her have good and safe gallop.

“There is no difference to me in how she looks and seems mentally,” Waller said.

“I’m her dad. It’s hard to find things to say about her. Everything is positive. Her trackwork rider Ben Cadden is happy with her and Hugh Bowman has been out a couple of times to gallop her and is also happy. Her body language has never been better.

“I just want to see her get around safely in her first trial in the right part of the track and she will have a stronger hitout in her second trial.”

Winx is scheduled to begin racing again on August 18 in the race she has won for the past two years.

The race is not quite the same this year with the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick upgraded to Group 1 status and renamed the Winx Stakes in honour of the champ.

While Waller’s eyes will be on Winx, the Hawkes Racing team will focus their attention on Chautauqua who must jump out of the barrier to be reinstated to race again. Formerly the world’s highest rated sprinter, Chautauqua missed the autumn and the chance for a fourth TJ Smith Stakes win when he refused to leave the gates four times in trials.

Chautauqua passed the first of two enforced tests in a jumpout at Flemington last Friday week and needs another satisfactory performance to ensure he can start in the Group 2 Missile Stakes on August 4 with one of his goals The Everest on October 13.