Winx’s final campaign ahead of schedule as trainer Chris Waller admits gun mare still amazing him
Superstar mare Winx continues to amaze Chris Waller in her comeback with the trainer saying: “Any signs of her ageing aren’t there, any signs of her slowing aren’t there.’’
SuperRacing
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperRacing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Winx, the world’s highest-ranked racehorse, continues to defy time and hasn’t lost any of her extraordinary speed.
This is the assessment of trainer Chris Waller as the mighty mare prepares for her final race campaign in Sydney this autumn.
CUMMINGS EYEING MAGIC MILLIONS CLASSIC
GAI POISED FOR MORE MILLIONS CELEBRATIONS
Winx has had three gallops and is ahead of schedule in preparation for her comeback to racing in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 16, Waller said.
“She’s really well, she is showing the same keenness and enthusiasm for her work,’’ he said.
“Any signs of her ageing aren’t there, any signs of her slowing aren’t there. She is as good as we can have her.’’
Waller plans to give Winx two barrier trials and “we might we might even sneak in an exhibition gallop” before the champion resumes racing.
Winx hasn’t raced since winning an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate last October. Waller said the mare has enjoyed her summer spell and has come back into his Rosehill stables in very good order.
“It is quite unbelievable: she keeps herself in check, she’s an amazing athlete,’’ Waller said. “If you could put her into a sporting team she would be a shining star.
“You hear of horses going out for spell and getting heavy, putting on condition, but she seems to look after herself.
“Everyone at Hermitage (pre-training farm) and my team do everything we can to look after her but realistically it comes down to her, she is just marvellous.’’
Winx, who is likely to have a maximum of four races this autumn before she is retired to stud, has won 29 races in succession and been unbeaten for nearly four years.
Waller believes Winx’s extraordinary longevity remains one of her greatest achievements.
“I’m looking for her to get the credit for being around for so long,’’ he said.
“We have made those decisions to pull up when we could have gone another run, or not to take her overseas, doing certain things that would have made it harder.
“But I think Winx will be remembered not only for being a great horse but for being a great horse for a long time — that is what singles her out.’’
Waller also provided an update on some of his other stable stars, notably his outstanding three-year-olds The Autumn Sun, Zousain and Lean Mean Machine.
The Autumn Sun, the three-time Group 1 winning colt rated as Winx’s heir apparent, is on target to return to racing in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on February 23.
“The Autumn Sun is unbelievable, he has come back 20kg heavier,’’ Waller said. “His manners are fantastic and you would not know he is a stallion.
“I’m looking forward to Lean Mean Machine and Zousain, too. They are sprinters and I feel they will really measure up (in the autumn).’’
Waller said this crack trio of colts are all chances of flying the stable flag at Royal Ascot in June.
COLT TO HIGHTAIL IT TO GOLD COAST
Hightail is likely to run but Ljungberg is out definitely out as the Magic Millions picture became a little clearer on Sunday.
Trainers Peter and Paul Snowden seem set to give Hightail his chance in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast next Saturday after the colt’s easy win at Randwick’s Kensington meeting.
Although Peter Snowden conceded it is not an ideal preparation as Hightail will have to back up for a third successive Saturday and have an interstate road trip this week, the colt’s form demanded he take his place in the Magic Millions field.
Hugh Bowman rode Hightail to win on the Kensington track and will stick with the colt on the Gold Coast.
Ljungberg was arguably the most impressive winner of the Kensington meeting but trainer Ron Quinton has ruled out starting the three-year-old in the $2 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m).
Quinton has even bigger ambitions for Ljungberg with suggestions the promising young sprinter and his stablemate Royal Celebration could be aimed at the $7.5 million Golden Eagle in the spring.
In other Magic Millions news, Kerrin McEvoy keeps the ride on the promising two-year-old filly Exhilirates in the Magic Millions after her easy win at the Gold Coast.
Exhilirates, a $600,000 yearling purchase, gives the Godolphin stable its first ever runner in the Gold Coast race.
WHY UPSIZING IS A MUST
ATC chief executive Jamie Barkley has explained his reasons for needing to expand his club’s management team.
“Caulfield has a senior executive team of seven and they do 24 meetings a year and one carnival. Flemington has nine senior executives and they do one carnival, a very big one, and about 25 meetings a year. Moonee Valley has similar numbers,’’ Barkley said.
“At the ATC, there are three executives, we have 114 race meetings and race 52 weeks a year. We are re-building the business and I will be appointing a number of senior executives in coming months.’’
PETERS BOBS UP AGAIN
Star Exhibit gave Bob Peters a record seventh Perth Cup at Ascot to cap a dominant summer carnival for the leading owner-breeder.
Peters had five runners in the Perth Cup and celebrated a quinella with Star Exhibit running down Action while another of his runners, Mississippi Delta was fourth.
This was a second Perth Cup win for Star Exhibit who also scored in 2016 (December). Peters has also won the Ascot feature with Field Officer (1993), Crown Prosecutor (2005), Lord Ransom (2010), Western Jewel (2011), Real Love (2015) and Delicacy (2016, January).
Peters has had a Perth summer carnival to remember.
His super filly Arcadia Queen won the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic, and the WA Guineas and Champion Fillies Stakes, and Galaxy Star claimed the Group 1 Railway Stakes plus the Asian Beau Stakes and Ted Van Heemst Classic. The owner’s other big race winners were Mississippi Delta (Tattersall’s Cup, ATA Stakes) and Arcadia Prince (Scahill Stakes).
VALLEY OF DREAMS AND MEMORIES
Snow Valley brought back memories of the legendary Kingston Town when the three-year-old filly maintained her unbeaten record with a brilliant win on the Gold Coast.
The Matthew Dunn-trained Snow Valley, who has won each of her three starts easily, is by super sire Snitzel out of the Lonhro mare, Deer Valley, winner of the 2009 Silver Shadow Stakes.
Deer Valley’s great ganddam Ada Slew is a daughter of Ada Hunter, the dam of Hall of Fame champion Kingston Town.
Snow Valley gave Dunn a two-state double after the trainer’s promising mare La Scopa and Country Championships hopeful scored easily in the TAB Highway on Randwick’s Kensington track.
STOKES TIPPED TO JOIN KENNEWELL EXODUS
The worrying exodus from South Australian racing is gathering momentum.
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell will close his Adelaide stables at the end of this month due to concerns over the lack of state government financial support for the ailing racing industry.
Leading jockey Dominic Tourneur took to social media to predict premier trainer Phillip Stokes will be the next to close his Adelaide stables and before declaring the “general consensus form all participants is that we all must seriously consider a move interstate in over to survive and make ends meet.’’
RON DUFFICY’S SNAPSHOT: RANDWICK KENSINGTON
RUN OF THE DAY
Ljungberg created a good impression with his nice first-up win at Canterbury but the way he savaged the line second-up here winning with his head on his chest really captured everyone’s attention. He looks an exciting prospect.
FORGET THEY RAN
Harmattan wasn’t fancied in the market when resuming and had work to do in a race dominated by the leader. She didn’t comeup in three runs last preparation but indications are that she has come back better this time up.
THE BLACK BOOK
Peralta is not bred to be an early new year 2YO but his debut was a real eye-catcher.
David Payne is the master of producing a good young staying type and it’s only natural to think that he has another one on his hands here.
RIDE OF THE DAY
Robbie Dolan continued on his winning ways with another winning double on Easy Eddie and Gresham with two smart rides while Hugh Bowman just put both his winners in perfect spots one out one back.
NSW RACING — THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday: Kempsey, Moruya
Tuesday: Cessnock, Orange
Wednesday: Canterbury Park
Thursday: Muswellbrook
Friday: Gosford, Wagga Wagga
Saturday: Royal Randwick, Kembla Grange, Glen Innes, Queanbeyan
Sunday: Coffs Harbour, Wellington
Originally published as Winx’s final campaign ahead of schedule as trainer Chris Waller admits gun mare still amazing him
Growing confidence in colt’s Lightning strike
Star colt Growing Empire will resume in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) on Saturday at Flemington.
Pride Of Jenni back in work, ‘happy, healthy and well’
Pride Of Jenni is back in work but Ciaron Maher has no fixed plans for the Group 1 star.