UK commentator Matt Chapman says Winx is beating moderate horses and she is not world’s best galloper

WINX trainer Chris Waller has hit back at British racing commentator Matt Chapman who suggested the champion mare is overrated and only beating moderate horses.

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WINX’S ranking as the world’s best racehorse is under threat unless she wins her fourth successive Cox Plate by a convincing margin.

English racing commentator Matt Chapman caused quite a stir at the Cox Plate barrier draw function at Moonee Valley on Tuesday when he questioned the quality of opposition Winx has beaten in her 28-race winning streak.

Chapman said if the international handicappers “do their job properly” then England’s Cracksman should be rated the best horse in the world after his Champion Stakes win at Ascot last weekend.

Winx is in great shape heading into the Cox Plate. Picture: AAP

It might have been good-natured banter but Chapman did point out that Benbatl, considered Winx’s main rival in the Cox Plate, is not rated near Europe’s elite racehorses.

“Back home we feel Winx is beating fairly moderate horses,” Chapman said.

"Back home we feel Winx is beating fairly moderate horses."

English racing commentator @MCYeeehaaa gives his honest assessment of Winx ahead of the @CoxPlate. @attheraces @itvracing

Thoughts on this statement? pic.twitter.com/NY12CHxDu3

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 23, 2018

“Slightly, this was proved in the (Caulfield Cup) result with Best Solution, when all the horses Winx had been beaten were ‘stuffed’ out of sight, although it was a completely different type of race.

“The only link we kind of have to Winx is Highland Reel and everyone will say ‘Oh Winx beat Highland Reel’.

“But you have to remember, when she beat Highland Reel he was a very young horse, he had hardly done anything at that stage.’’

Unimpressed with the comments, Winx’s trainer Chris Waller hit back.

“I was very very surprised and disappointed. I think he is a bit of a d***head for saying it to be honest,” he said on SEN this morning.

“You’re in a foreign country, you [should] have a little bit of respect. You might go back and say it back at home ... when you’re invited to be at a breakfast, sure you’ve got to speak your mind and things like that, and maybe his comments were taken the wrong way.

“But it’s a bit harsh to say that over the past four years, or three-and-a-half years, that she’s been winning, he’s basically saying every horse that she’s beaten is rubbish.

“Well that just puts a mockery on Australian racing, which is regarded as close to the best in the world. I’m sure our punters and followers of racing would be disgusted by those comments.”

“For him to stand up and say that, it’s just utter nonsense. He’s obviously just trying to make a name for himself.”

Winx defeated Ireland’s outstanding Highland Reel by nearly six lengths when she won her first Cox Plate in 2015.

Sydney’s super mare has been untouchable ever since and is $1.25 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds to win her fourth successive Cox Plate on Saturday.

Cracksman (left) should be rated the world’s best horse, according to English racing commentator Matt Chapman. Picture: Getty Images

But Chapman believes Winx needs to make a real statement in the Cox Plate and win by a big margin to stay on top of the official World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.

“Hugh Bowman doesn’t want to sit 10 lengths or 15 lengths off Benbatl, because this is one of those very strange European horses that seems to run better when he is abroad,’’ Chapman said.

Cracksman was literally beaten two starts ago by a horse (Poet’s Word) that has been beaten 3 1/2L in his only start since that race and yet they want him crowned world’s best racehorse. If he is, it just goes to show the flawed system. Give me a spell https://t.co/MY2SwbqEVS

— brad davidson (@braddavo) October 23, 2018

“Back home, Benbatl would be nowhere near our best horses at a mile-and-a-quarter (a2000m) or a mile-and-a-half (a2400m) which are Enable and Cracksman.

“And Cracksman, some of you might have seen in the Champions Stakes at the weekend, I hate to say this in an Australian room, if the handicappers do their job properly he will now be the best horse in the world, if he is rated on what he did at the weekend.”

"The point of the argument is, are these horses she's beating up to scratch?"

This is amazing viewing. @MCYeeehaaa explains comments he made earlier in the day on Winx and her rivals. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/iVR9Bzk4Vh

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 23, 2018

Originally published as UK commentator Matt Chapman says Winx is beating moderate horses and she is not world’s best galloper