It’s official: Winx is on top of the world
IT’S taken three long years, an unbeaten sequence of 23 wins including 16 at Group 1 level before Winx finally was acknowledged as the best in the world.
The first world ratings of the year were released on Thursday night and Winx is sharing top spot with American champion Gun Runner on 129.
Gun Runner has been retired after his Pegasus World Cup win in January so he can’t improve his rating, but Winx looked to have returned as well as ever in her runaway seven lengths Chipping Norton Stakes win this month and could take her rating higher this autumn.
For the last two years, Winx has been rated the world’s best racehorse on turf but came in behind American dirt horse Arrogate for the world’s best racehorse title.
Winx is being primed for the Group 1 $ 1 million George Ryder Stakes ( 1500m) at Rosehill next Saturday with trainer Chris Waller giving the great mare an exhibition gallop between races at the Coolmore Classic meeting on Saturday.
With regular jockey Hugh Bowman still recovering from concussion, Kerrin McEvoy has been asked to partner Winx in her solo gallop over 1000m after the first race.
McEvoy also teams with the Waller stable on Egg Tart, the $ 5.50 fav- ourite for the Group 1 $ 600,000 Coolmore Classic ( 1500m) on Saturday.
Egg Tart, a dual Group 1 winner last season, looked to be back to close to her best form when a luckless firstup fourth to Crack Me Up in the Liverpool City Cup ( 1300m) at Randwick earlier this month.
“There were good signs from Egg Tart the other day, she didn’t have much luck,’’ McEvoy said.
“The extra 200m of the Coolmore is in her favour and she has drawn well.
“I’m hoping we can settle in a midfield position, that would be great, because you know she will be finishing the race off strongly.’’
McEvoy has eight race rides on Saturday including Golden Slipper hopeful Spin in the Group 3 $ 175,000 Pago Pago Stakes ( 1200m).