Star mare Winx closes in on ‘champion’ status after Apollo Stakes win

WINX may not have earned universal acclaim as a champion yet but if she maintains her dominant form surely she will be afforded racing’s highest ranking by autumn’s end.

Moonee Valley Races, Race 9, The Cox Plate over 2040 metres. Winx ridden by Hugh Bowman wins the Cox Plate in commanding style . Pic: Michael Klein. 24th of October 2015. Melbourne Australia.

WINX may not have earned universal acclaim as a champion yet but if she maintains her dominant form surely she will be afforded racing’s highest ranking by the end of her Sydney autumn campaign.

Her comeback win in the Apollo Stakes at Royal Randwick last Saturday was stunning and she appears to have the major weight-for-age races at her mercy through to her main goal, the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Day Two of the Championships in April.

Chris Waller has trained many outstanding racehorses during his training career but said on Sky Sports Radio yesterday that he has never had a horse at Winx’s level before.

Training such a high-profile galloper as Winx also brings with it additional pressure and Waller revealed he takes a different approach to determining her race program.

“I don’t necessarily set her for races in three or four weeks time,’’ Waller said.

“With a horse like her, she is expected to win every start so we have to ensure we try to keep her winning.’’

But Waller admitted it is nearly impossible for Winx to win every race she contests.

“I don’t know how Black Caviar did it,’’ Waller said, referring to the incomparable mare’s 25-race unbeaten streak.

Waller also made a revealing comment when asked if he rated Winx a champion: “Not yet,” was his reply. Surely, it is only a matter of time.

PERFECT PARTNERS

WINX hardly raised a sweat winning the Apollo and neither did her rider, Hugh Bowman.

Bowman is unflappable under pressure and he complements Winx perfectly. They could become one of the great horse-jockey combinations.

Hugh Bowman and Winx could become a famous combination

CENTURY AWAITS CHAMPION TRAINER

WALLER’S winning double with Winx and Springbok Flyer took him to 99 Sydney wins for the season.

The trainer can break the 100-win barrier at Canterbury on Wednesday and is way ahead of schedule to smash his all-time record of 167.5 Sydney wins set in 2012-13.

RYAN’S RUNNERS CONTINUE TO DELIVER

TRAINER Gerald Ryan’s horses continue to race in very competitive form.

From his last 30 starters, Ryan has prepared seven winners, 10 second placegetters and three thirds — and only four of his runners have finished outside the top five.

At Randwick last Saturday, Ryan trained Perignon to win the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes while stablemate Solicit made a race of it with Winx in the Apollo Stakes. At Caulfield, Ryan’s duo Red Excitement and Dances On Stars filled the minor placings behind Burning Front in the Carlyon Cup.

AMAZING ADVERTISEMENT

HOW good are the television advertisements for the Country Championships series which start with heats at Goulburn (Saturday) and Scone (Sunday)?

The advertising campaign began last week and depicts a field of horses racing through iconic country towns and paddocks en route to Royal Randwick for the final in April.

STRONG FORMLINE

THE TAB Highway Handicaps continue to provide very competitive racing and at least giving punters an opportunity to line up the bush form ahead of the Country Championships.

Swivet scored a narrow win in the Highway at Randwick last Saturday where eight horses flashed over the line with less than a length separating them.

Swivet, ridden by Samantha Clenton, won the TAB Highway Handicap

SILVER SLIPPER

TEAM Snowden is likely to trial boom juvenile colt Defcon at Rosehill ahead of a possible start in the Silver Slipper Stakes next Saturday.

Also trialling this morning is Godolphin’s unbeaten youngster Souchez although it is unlikely he will back up in the Silver Slipper.

Godolphin’s John O’Shea has indicated brilliant two-year-old Astern is likely to resume in Saturday’s feature two-year-old race.

OLIVER’S CONUNDRUM

HALL of Fame jockey Damien Oliver has a difficult decision before confirming his Blue Diamond ride — Extreme Choice or Flying Artie.

Both youngsters are trained by Mick Price at Caulfield and have been impressive winners at that track over the last two Saturdays with Oliver in the saddle.

Price would also have been over the moon with the comeback effort of Victoria Derby winner Tarzino when a fast finishing fourth to Mahuta in the Autumn Stakes.

Tarzino is a wonderful staying talent and is on target to become the first since Mahogany (1993-94) to win the Victoria Derby-ATC Australian Derby double.

Damien Oliver must choose between Extreme Choice and Flying Artie for the Blue Diamond

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

CHAMPION trainer Peter Moody could learn his fate this Thursday when the Victorian Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board reconvenes to continue their investigation into the cobalt positive returned by Lidari.

Originally published as Star mare Winx closes in on ‘champion’ status after Apollo Stakes win