LIVE: The Championships Day One from Royal Randwick

TAB BIG BETS: WINX settled the debate once and for all — she is a champion. Even trainer Chris Waller acknowledged she has nothing left to prove.

Winx ridden by Hugh Bowman, wins race 9 the Doncaster during Day 1 of the Championships at Royal Randwick. pic Jenny Evans

WINX settled the debate once and for all — she is a champion.

Even Chris Waller, who has always baulked at affording racing’s ultimate ranking on the mare, acknowledged she has nothing left to prove.

Before 22,615 adoring race fans, Winx earned her place among the greats of the turf when she came from well back in the field to score an awesome win in the Group 1 $3 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

And she really had to earn it. This was the supreme test and the mighty mare delivered.

“I was worried at the 800m and on the turn — I didn’t think she could win,’’ Waller said. “Yes, she is a champion, no doubt.’’

Waller had been relatively composed until a few minutes after the race the enormity of Winx’s achievement struck him and the emotion started to get the better of him.

“It’ been a pretty tough week, to say the least, it’s taken things to a new level for me. I don’t know how Peter Moody (trainer of Black Caviar) did it is all I can say. I’ve only done it for about five starts,’’ Waller said.

“I thought she was beaten at the half mile, let alone the 600m mark. She was going nowhere and I have never seen Hughie have to niggle her.

“Even after a few hundred metres, she never gets right back there unless we are taking her back from wide draws but that was not really the plan.

“She just looked like she was skipping a few strides on the track, maybe she wasn’t, but gee she showed some guts that last 200m.

Owner Debbie Kepitas and Hugh Bowman. Picture: Jenny Evans

“We took on the handicapper. She’s a champion. Does it get any better? It’s pretty unbelievable.”

Winx ($1.80 favourite) sliced through the pack, raced to the lead and lifted again to draw away form a very game Happy Clapper ($13) with Azkadellia ($9) a half neck away third.

Wayne Webster, stable representative for his father Pat, the trainer of Happy Clapper, summed up the mood immediately after the race.

“I’ll be telling my grandchildren that we ran second to Winx — it’s an honour to be beaten by such a great horse,’’ Wayne Webster said.

Winx makes it nine consecutive victories. Picture: Jenny Evans

Winx set all sorts of records with her Doncaster win including:

HER odds of $1.80 and equalled the 90-year-old record of Valicare (1926) as the shortest Doncaster winner of all time.

WALLER prepared his sixth Doncaster winner in nine years — and Winx was his fourth in succession after Sacred Falls (2013-14) and Kemadec (2015).

WINX became the first mare to win the Epsom-Doncaster double in the same season.

WINX scored her ninth consecutive win and her sixth at Group 1 level to take her prizemoney over $6.5 million to climb to eighth on the all-time list.

Winx wins the Doncaster Mile with another stunning performance. Picture: AAP

Champion jockey Hugh Bowman said he is getting an appreciation now of what Winx means to the sport.

“The build up was really something. I can really understand what people that have had other champion race horses go through when they come to the races because the expectation is to win,’’ Bowman said.

“The expectation is there from everyone in racing and beyond, the expectation is to see her victorious. Like I say I’m just so proud of her. She’s a once in a lifetime horse. I can’t believe I’m actually sitting on her.”

Bowman admitted he also doubted whether Winx could win the Doncaster coming into the straight.

“ll be honest today, it was the first time I have ridden her that half way through the race I was concerned because the worn track, it’s racing on the worst side of soft in my opinion,’’ he explained.

“She wasn’t overly comfortable in it so the fact that she wasn’t comfortable and still produced that finish is something of only a horse of champion qualities can do. To rely on a horse like this is unbelievable.’’

Hugh Bowman (left) raises his whip as Winx takes out the premier event on the opening day of The Championships. Picture: AAP

TAB BIG BETS

KINDERGARTEN STAKES: Favourite punters weren’t fully rewarded with Astern sharing the spoils with El Divino.

Astern was backed from $2.50 into $2.15 in the 30 minutes prior to start time

El Divino — who had support earlier in the week — eased from $2.80 to $4.40

CARBINE CLUB STAKES

Runner-up Odyssey Moon wasn’t able to land the plunge after being supported from as much as $4.60 to $3.80. He’s Our Rokkii was easy in the market ($4.60 to $6)

The unplaced Data Point had good support in betting up until today and eventually lost favouritism ($3.60 to $4.60)

CHAIRMAN’S HANDICAP

Libran required all of the 2600m but eventually got there late after easing from as short as $2 to $2.20. The biggest bet on Libran was $8000 at $2.15. There was a late rally for the unplaced Dee I Cee who trimmed from as much as $8.50 into $5.50.

COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Clearly Innocent completely defied the betting drift ($2.30 to $5) to blouse his rivals

An example of how noticeable the ease for Clearly Innocent was is best illustrated by one punter placing $10,000 at $2.30 on Thursday

The unplaced favourite Lofty’s Menu tightened from $3.80 to $3 (closed $3.20) while the runner-up Pera Pera shortened from $8.50 to $6.50

PJ BELL STAKES

Tempt Me Not was a surprise winner after drifting from $15 to $18 throughout the day

The unplaced Super Cash was backed from $7 into $4.80 before closing $5

Egyptian Symbol — who finished third — was solid around the $4.80-$5 mark (closed $4.80 favourite)

ATC SIRES PRODUCE STAKES

Despite drifting late from $2.80 to $3.70, the Golden Slipper runner-up Yankee Rose was far too good. One punter went against the late ease with a wager of $5000 at $3.60

Runner-up Telperion was backed late from $4.40 to $4 after being as short as $3.80

ATC AUSTRALIAN DERBY

Huge shock with the unfancied Tavago saluting at $31

Tarzino — who finished fourth — carried 75% of the support and was backed from $1.75 into as short as $1.50 (closed $1.60)

Biggest bets on Tarzino included $10,000 at $1.70, $10,000 at $1.50 and $9,000 at $1.50.

TJ SMITH STAKES

After jostling for favouritism with Exosphere, Chautauqua eased late from $3.40 to $3.80 but flew down the outside. Bets of note on Chautauqua included $9000 at $3.40 and $10,000 at $3.50. Exosphere — who was unplaced — was backed in the last 10 minutes of betting from $3.60 to $3

One bet placed minutes before the race was a $20,000 Double at $7.20 on Exosphere into Winx.

DONCASTER MILE

After touching $2.05 during the day, Winx was crunched late into $1.75 and duly saluted

Notable bets on Winx included multiple $10,000 wagers at $2, $30,000 at $1.85 and $10,000 at $1.75. There were also bets during the week of $10,000 at $1.85 and $10,000 at $1.80 on Winx.

ADRIAN KNOX STAKES

Diamond Made stunned punters in the final race after drifting from $41 to $51. The unplaced Sacred Eye firmed from as much as $5 into $3.80 favourite. Runner-up Alaskan Rose hovered around the $4-$4.40 mark (closed $4) including one bet of $10,000 at $4.20

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Originally published as LIVE: The Championships Day One from Royal Randwick