Winx makes it 20 in a row

HER trainer admits it’s getting harder to watch but her jockey has ultimate faith in Winx who has stretched her winning sequence to 20 with victory in the Group One George Main Stakes at Randwick.

As she has in her three starts this campaign, the champion has given away a big start with Chris Waller’s nerves undergoing a work-out while Hugh Bowman has concentrated on keeping her comfortable.

But with the mare almost 10 lengths adrift of the leader Red Excitement at the 600m, Waller wondered if Saturday was the day it would end.

Cool as ever, Bowman tracked Happy Clapper into the straight, gave Winx a tap on the hind quarters and she switched gears to make it look easy at the end of the 1600 metres.

‘‘She is a hard horse to watch,’’ Waller said. ‘‘The good tracks mean the tempo is different.

‘‘And we should respect Happy Clapper. She beat a very good horse in his own right and we had to fight to get past him.

‘‘It is good to see her top that rise and see her get a bit closer because that was the only stage she looked like winning.’’

Instead of immediately taking Winx through the gate to the winner’s stall, Bowman cantered her down to the public stand in front of her legions of fans.

The jockey is as much a part of the Winx story as anyone else and the two have developed a bond, even though he admitted he expected to be a little closer on Saturday.

‘‘The pace was strong and at the top of the straight she had a lot of ground to make up. I am just so proud of her.

‘‘Growing up on the farm in Dunedoo, dreaming of being a jockey, dreaming of riding a champion and those dreams are being met in the form of Winx.’’

AAP