Winx’s sister Wings Of Desire set to fly in Sydney return at Rosehill
A half-sister to the great Winx will be out to enhance her record when she returns to Sydney to run at Rosehill Gardens on Sunday.
Wings Of Desire is one of the most value pieces of horseflesh in the southern hemisphere and on Sunday at Rosehill Gardens will attempt to further enhance her record.
Wings Of Desire is the half-sister Australia’s modern-day champion of champions Winx, the 25-time Group 1 winner that holds the rare honour of being inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame before she retired in 2018.
Wings Of Desire was retained by her breeder John Camilleri and the daughter of Pride Of Dubai joined Grahame Begg’s Cranbourne stable ahead of her four-year-old season.
Formerly based in Sydney with Michael Freedman, the mare made her return to the track on November 12 and delivered an impressive first-up win over 1200m on Caulfield’s inner Heath track.
“Her first-up win was good,” Begg said.
“She sat three-wide outside the leaders and that’s never easy to do.
“She toughed it out well and it was the sort of win of a horse that will be winning again.
“She’s a big strong girl, there’s plenty of her.
“She certainly had a good blow after the win, hence she’s had another jumpout since and she’s arrived in Sydney a fitter horse.”
• The rise of Alysha Collett from starry-eyed teen
A lack of suitable opportunities in her new home state resulted in Begg looking elsewhere and Sunday’s fillies and mares Chandon Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m) was just what her new trainer was searching for.
“I saw this race at Rosehill and it was well positioned, three weeks after she resumed,” he said.
“This race was the next progression as far as a ratings-based race and she has ticked the box of winning a race the Sydney way being formerly trained there.”
Wings Of Desire has to overcome barrier 11 in the 13-horse field but Begg believes the wide gate could prove to be more of a help than hindrance.
“The draw might be a bit sticky but it has its benefits too,” he said.
“She’s a big filly and needs her share of galloping room, she’s got a massive stride on her.
“I see the forecast is predicting the chance of a few mils (millimetres) of rain too. A few drops won’t hurt either. She’d love a bit of give in the ground.”
• Racing Confidential: Filly set to launch for Singo and Molan
TAB has Wings Of Desire priced as the $5 favourite and in another positive, Jordan Childs, who was aboard the mare when she won first-up, elected to travel to Sydney to continue his partnership with the mare rather than stay in Victoria to ride at the Ballarat Cup meeting.
Childs will also ride the Camilleri-owned Plaintiff (race 5) on Sunday while picking up a third ride at the meeting aboard Grid Girl (race 8).
“Jordan (Childs) gave up his Melbourne rides to stick with her, regardless of the race being on Saturday or Sunday,” Begg said.
“He was keen to stay with her.
“We have a really good relationship and I’m lucky to have a rider like him that will put the stable and the owner first.”
Begg is also the latest trainer to come out and publicly support the decision of Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club to move the main Sydney meeting of the week from a sunbaked Saturday to Sunday where the expected top temperature is 24 degrees.
“Hats off to them because they’ve been on the front foot all week once they had an indication of how the weather is going to play out,” he said.
“We got a text message on Monday telling us there was a chance of moving to Sunday.
“Turnover is going to take a big hit but they have chosen to put the horses, jockeys and participants welfare at the forefront.”
Originally published as Winx’s sister Wings Of Desire set to fly in Sydney return at Rosehill
Wyong preview: O’ Ole chases historic double
