Winx wins the Wonder Race but is she the greatest ever?

There has been an astonishing finish to the Wonder Race featuring the greatest Australian racehorses of all time including Phar Lap, Kingston Town, and Winx. Watch the race!

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Winx edges out Phar Lap and Carbine in a thrilling finish to The Wonder Race.

But is Winx the greatest of them all? Does The Wonder Race result only ignite further debate?

Either way, this has been a fascinating exercise with an exciting, simulated race between the 12 great champions.

The winner was determined by a consensus between revered racecaller John Tapp, respected form expert Gary Crispe and myself – and it was a split decision.

Overhead shot of the Wonder Race as they jump from the gates at Royal Randwick.

Tapp and I both selected Winx as the winner, Crispe had Phar Lap proving too good.

This, in essence, is what The Wonder Race was all about – stirring debate, focussing attention on the great champions past and present and creating conversation around the greatest of them all.

The reader feedback and social media interaction has showed that opinions are divided as to who is the best racehorse of them all with Winx winning the reader poll with 40 per cent of the vote.

Through the early stages and it’s Sunline in the lead from Kingston Town, Might and Power and Carbine.

After a lengthy deliberation, I selected Winx to win The Wonder Race.

Winx’s four-year undefeated sequence of 32 wins including 24 Group 1 level I found simply impossible to ignore. Her longevity and consistency is remarkable.

Royal Randwick is her favourite racetrack, winning 19 races there including nine of 10 attempts over the 2000m course.

Might and Power jumps to the lead on the fence with Kingston Town and Phar Lap out wide.

I must admit when watching the simulated race and listening to Tapp’s call, I thought Winx could not win after missing the start by a couple of lengths but the great mare was aided by an inspired Hugh Bowman ride to weave through the field and edge out Phar Lap.

Tapp admitted he never thought the day would come when he was moved to relegate Kingston Town from the top spot of his list of all-time greats but he also went for Winx.

“The wonder mare qualifies on several fronts,’’ Tapp said.

Coming down the home straight and it’s Phar Lap out wide and in front.

“Her consistency levels are unparalleled, her focus is unshakeable, her sectional times have been astonishing, the ease of her wins against some talented horses has resulted in some huge winning margins. Surely even her soundness is part of the package.

“Look at this thoroughbred phenomenon from every possible viewpoint, and see if you can find fault. I can’t.’’

Crispe used his exclusive Timeform rating technology has been the primary driver to decide the race outcome, plus taking into account each horse’s ability at 2000m to shape his final selections.

And Winx pips Phar Lap at the Royal Randwick Finish line.

“Previous historical analysis of past champions has Phar Lap the highest Timeform rated horse ever to race in Australia,’’ Crispe said

“With a Timeform rating of 141, Phar Lap stands alone at that level but the 141 figure also makes him a member of the exclusive Timeform list of all time global greats who have Timeform ratings 140 or higher.

“The analysis of the 12 contestants clearly has Phar Lap as the winner. His record at 2000m is also impeccable, eight starts for eight wins including his last-ever race in the United States when he won the Agua Caliente Handicap.

Final finishing order of the Wonder Race.

“My analysis shows Phar Lap would win The Wonder Race from Carbine and current champion mare Winx, who under the weight-for-age scale gets a weight-adjusted Timeform rating of 138.

“But Carbine’s overall record was outstanding including his 1890 Melbourne Cup win with 65.5kg – a weight-carrying record that will never be broken.

“Carbine won many of the feature races of his era and has been assessed as having a Timeform rating of 139 - this rating combined with his excellent record at 2000m of five wins from six starts has him as runner up to Phar Lap.

“Current champion Winx needs no introduction having broken just about every record in the book but this assignment would be like no other.

“I have her running to a Timeform rating of 138 which places her third, just ahead of Bernborough and Tulloch.’’