Winx still untouchable
IF Winx is close to a sure thing every time she races, there is absolutely no competition for the Horse of the Year title.
Sydney’s super mare claimed her third successive Australian Horse of the Year award at a ceremony in Melbourne last night.
There was never any doubt Winx would claim Australian racing’s ultimate reward – the only interest would be if she didn’t receive maximum votes.
But Winx had another immaculate season winning all her eight starts during 2017-18 including six Group 1 wins and deservedly collected all 150 votes in an award clean sweep.
Winx has joined two other legendary race mares, Black Caviar and Sunline, as the only three-time winners of the Australian Racehorse of the Year title.
The world’s highest-rated horse, who will attempt to extend her record winning sequence to 28 races in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington tomorrow, also won the Champion Middle Distance Award.
“It seems like every time Winx wakes up these days she is breaking another record, winning another race or an award,’’ said Peter Tighe, who part-owns the great mare with Debbie Kepitis and Richard Treweeks.
“We are truly blessed to own a horse like her that is now being mentioned alongside Phar Lap, Kingston Town, Makybe Diva, Sunline, Black Caviar – it’s incredible.
“The stars have aligned for us, for (trainer) Chris Waller and for (jockey) Hugh Bowman with this mare. She has taken us on an amazing ride.
“But we feel like Winx is public property now. She gives so much enjoyment to so many people.’’
Waller also received the Bart Cummings Award for the most Group 1 winners (13) trained in the season; whilst Bowman was presented with the equivalent award for jockeys, having registered nine wins at the elite level.
The six remaining awards were spread evenly across other stables, with Team Hawkes outstanding filly Estijaab named Champion TwoYear-Old after her dominant win in the Golden Slipper.
Anthony Freedman’s Shoals, who won Group 1 races in three states last season, was awarded Champion ThreeYear-Old Filly.
The Champion ThreeYear-Old Colt or Gelding went the way of the Gerald Ryantrained Trapeze Artist, a winner of three Group 1s.