Peter Tighe, a part-owner of Winx, paid tribute to the genius of Chris Waller after he trained his 100th Group 1 winner with the great mare’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes success at Royal Randwick. The master trainer finished with three Group 1 wins, including the ATC Oaks.
Peter Tighe, a part-owner of Winx, paid tribute to the genius of Chris Waller after he trained his 100th Group 1 winner with the great mare’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes success at Royal Randwick.
“I don’t think anyone is more deserving than Chris of getting his 100th Group 1 winner with the best horse that has ever gone around in the world,’’ he said.
Tighe could be excused for letting the emotion of the moment get to him after the race but there was a real symmetry about Winx’s farewell win.
Winx has provided 25 of Waller’s century of majors since the trainer won his first Group 1 with Triple Honour in the 2008 Doncaster Mile.
RELIVE ALL THE ACTION BELOW
Waller trained three Group 1 winners on Saturday, he also prepared Shraooh to win the Sydney Cup and Verry Ellegant to take out the ATC Australian Oaks. With a career tally of 101 Group wins and counting, he becomes only the sixth trainer to achieve the feat after Tommy Smith (282), Bart Cummings (268), Gai Waterhouse (139), Lee Freedman (124) and John Hawkes (112).
But what of Winx, the wonder mare who goes into retirement after 33 consecutive wins. She has broken all sort of records including:
● Winx took her career earnings to $26,451,175 and is now the greatest prizemoney earner in world racing.
● Her 25th Group 1 win is a world record. Black Caviar retired with 25 wins, 15 at Group 1 level.
● The date of Winx’s final race, April 13, was the same as Black Caviar’s in the 2013 TJ Smith Stakes.
● Hugh Bowman’s 32nd win on Winx equalled the jockey-horse record of Ted Bartle and High Caste set 80 years ago.
● With a career total of 37 wins, Winx retires with the same number of wins as Phar Lap.
● Winx becomes the only horse to win three consecutive Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
● TAB took its biggest ever bet on a horse race with a $550,000 wager at $1.06 on Winx.
Debbie Kepitis, a part-owner of Winx, said: “She is the most amazing, supreme athlete I’ve ever seen handled by the best coach.’’
Hugh Bowman admitted “it’s hard to believe it’s the end actually” but Tighe said Winx’s retirement was a time for celebration, not sadness.
“It is the end in one way and the start in another,’’ Tighe said. “I’m not sad, no point being sad. The tears are all tears of joy. Winx is going to become a mum now so there is a few more chapters to go with this story.’’
Hugh Bowman guided the great mare to her third Queen Elizabeth Stakes win, her last race before retirement.
The win was not only a milestone moment for Winx but also for trainer Chris Waller, who picked up his 100th Group 1 victory. Verry Elleegant's success at the ATC Oaks earlier in the day moved Waller to 99 before Winx helped him raise the ton. He added Group 1 No.101 with Shraaoh in the Sydney.
Winx's win follows the TAB taking the biggest single wager on the mare, with one punter dropping a cool $550,000 on her last race.
1. WHITE MOSS
2. Irithea
3. Winter Bride
White Moss pulls off an upset win in the last, although followers of Sky Racing's Lizzie Jelfs would have been happy when the grey lobbed at $21!
WHITE MOSS!
— TAB (@tabcomau) April 13, 2019
The absolutely stunning mare has won the TAB Sapphire Stakes at massive odds! pic.twitter.com/4qxg9WttjG
1. WHITE MOSS
2. Irithea
3. Winter Bride
White Moss pulls off an upset win in the last, although followers of Sky Racing's Lizzie Jelfs would have been happy when the grey lobbed at $21!
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsWHITE MOSS!
— TAB (@tabcomau) April 13, 2019
The absolutely stunning mare has won the TAB Sapphire Stakes at massive odds! pic.twitter.com/4qxg9WttjG
Leo Schlink reports
MARK Zahra has been suspended for 25 meetings after being held accountable for a horror fall in the opening race at Randwick.
NSW stewards ruled Zahra's careless riding in the high range and initially imposed a 30-meeting ban.
But the penalty was reduced when they took into consideration the Victorian will not be able to ride Santa Ana Lane in the Chairman's Sprint in Hong Kong this month because of the length of the ban.
Zahra won the race for Lindsay Park on Power Scheme. But the interference led to jockey Andrew Adkins and Glyn Schofield falling near the winning post.
Their mounts War Baron and Persan were unharmed.
Adkins was hospitalised with concussion.
Scans revealed he had not suffered any broken bones.
Zahra last week partnered Santa Ana Lane to victory in the TJ Smith Stakes.
Zahra will start his ban on April 23 and return on June 2.
Leo Schlink reports
MARK Zahra has been suspended for 25 meetings after being held accountable for a horror fall in the opening race at Randwick.
NSW stewards ruled Zahra's careless riding in the high range and initially imposed a 30-meeting ban.
But the penalty was reduced when they took into consideration the Victorian will not be able to ride Santa Ana Lane in the Chairman's Sprint in Hong Kong this month because of the length of the ban.
Zahra won the race for Lindsay Park on Power Scheme. But the interference led to jockey Andrew Adkins and Glyn Schofield falling near the winning post.
Their mounts War Baron and Persan were unharmed.
Adkins was hospitalised with concussion.
Scans revealed he had not suffered any broken bones.
Zahra last week partnered Santa Ana Lane to victory in the TJ Smith Stakes.
Zahra will start his ban on April 23 and return on June 2.
The runners are behind the gate for the final race of day. Spright the clear favourite to win the last.
RANDWICK R10 – PICK OF THE YARD
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 13, 2019
TAB Sapphire Stakes @royalrandwick is the last race on the card. @LizzieJelfs has put White Moss on top and @tabcomau followers can get $23. pic.twitter.com/GH0DL7l0cW
That's all folks! Wonder mare heads home after ending her career with victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Thanks for the memories. Enjoy retirement.
THAT’S IT – @winx_horse leaves for the last time and gets a pat from @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/WfUVytTmFn
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 13, 2019
Don't miss out on the all the reaction and colour from Winx's fairytale finish at Royal Randwick with bumper souvenir Winx liftouts in the Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Herald Sun tomorrow.
Has Gai Waterhouse ever seen anything like Winx in her time?#7Racing pic.twitter.com/t47EfMgTHM
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 13, 2019
R10 (5.10pm): TAB SAPPHIRE STAKES (1200m)
Dufficy: I think Toby Edmonds can get a winning double here with Winter Bride in the last. She has dodged all the wet tracks in recent weeks and has fresh legs going into this race. It’s impossible to knock Winter Bride’s record. Spright needs luck coming from back in the field and she needs a dry track. Invincibella might be better at 1300m or 1400m but there is no denying her class and she can sprint well fresh. Resin is ready now.
Thomas: The drying track is ideal for Spright. I know her racing pattern means she needs plenty of luck but she is flying this campaign and this is her race. Winter Bride did hold off Spright last start and is perfectly drawn. Resin is working up to a win and I Am Excited sets up well back against her own sex.
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Spright $5-$4.80-$3.90 ($500 @ $5, $950 @ $4.80, $400 @ $4.80, $930 @ $3.90), Resin $11-$9.50, Manicure $13-$10
Just Fine’s gutsy win earned him a Melbourne Cup weight penalty, while Racing Victoria also announced penalties for last Saturday’s Epsom Handicap and Metropolitan winners.
A Kiwi import from the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable has the perfect opportunity to win his first race in Australian at Goulburn on Tuesday.