Waller: Winx an underdog like Tigers who finally came good
AN underdog story come good, that’s how Chris Waller sees champion mare Winx and says she’s just like the Tigers.
SuperRacing
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CHRIS Waller likened Winx to Richmond winning the AFL Premiership describing her as similar to them as “an underdog” in her early days who came good.
Waller also said Winx had never been in better condition and was “picture perfect”, the day before she attempts to take her winning streak to 21 in a row in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.
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Waller speaking on SEN said at the start of Winx’s career she was winning “one in every two or three starts then something just clicked. She went to a whole new level.”
“We definitely did not know this was what she was going to do, just like with the Tigers winning the flag, how often do you see the underdogs come good?”
TAB TURNBULL STAKES
BIG BETS
$94,150 @ $1.15 on Winx
$10,000 @ $1.15 on Winx
$5,000 @ $1.18 on Winx
$5,000 @ $1.15 on Winx
$3,070 @ $1.15 on Winx
$3,000 @ $1.18 on Winx [two separate bets]
BEST BACKED TO WIN
1) Winx ($1.18) 95%
2) Humidor ($4.40) 3.7%
3) Ventura Storm ($23) 0.4%
4) Magicool ($301) 0.3%
5) Skyfire ($301) 0.2%
6) Assign ($81) 0.2%
7) Sir Isaac Newton ($51) 0.2%
THE EARLY OIL: FLEMINGTON
HOT TIPS: WEEKEND BEST BETS
RACE WATCH: DAVO’S TIPS FOR RANDWICK
ANALYSIS: TURNBULL STAKES
“Yesterday would have been the best I have seen her. A horse goes through different stages, but yesterday she looked in the best possible condition,” Waller said.
“She was picture perfect, a horse that looks good on the outside, they say, is all good on the inside.”
Waller even suggested Winx went that fast on Thursday morning that the satellite tracking device might have been broken.
“We think it might have been faulty because it was a really quick time,” he said.
Waller said Winx had to overcome many obstacles during her winning streak which people wouldn’t remember or understand.
“In her 20 wins she’s over come falls, big names and picks herself up and gets the win.
“ The runs this time in have been different, she missed a start, second run she just about broke a track record, so not worried about that one.
“Last up, firm track and great speed upfront, she’s done more than we would have expected or hoped, but she picked herself up and rose to the challenge.”
Waller said his job had been made easier when dealing with the media because Winx hadn’t been beaten for 28 months and had made him look good.
“When a sporting team does that, the coach is not getting criticised much as the media ask easy questions. When the team gets beaten, that is when you have to find something extra and feel the pressure.”
Waller said they were very lucky they had Hugh Bowman as Winx’s rider.
“It’s hard to explain to non-race goers, as he doesn’t panic. He doesn’t just sit there for a ride, he has to make a lot of decisions, just like the bounce doesn’t go your way in footy, you have to reassess, she’s been behind in a few, you have to make decisions.”