Champion mare Winx to be served by Coolmore stallion Pierro this spring

Winx is ready to become a mum and return to the breeding barn this spring after last year’s heartbreak, and her spring suitor has been announced.

Champion racehorse Winx has been given a clean bill of health to head to the breeding barn this spring. Picture: Chris Waller Racing

Winx, arguably the greatest racehorse of them all, is ready to become a mum.

The mighty mare has been given a clean bill of health by veterinarians to return to the breeding barn this spring and will be served by Coolmore Stud’s champion sire Pierro.

It’s heartwarming news for Winx’s many fans both in Australia and around the world who were saddened when the mare lost her first foal last October.

The owners of Winx released a statement on Wednesday confirming their great mare will be visiting Pierro at Coolmore Stud in the Hunter Valley during the spring breeding season which commences next week.

“Winx has been given a full year to recover from her ordeal and we are pleased to report that the mare has returned in great condition,” the statement read.

“She has been enjoying life on the farm with some friends while she is preparing to go back to the breeding barn this spring.”

Top sire Pierro has been selected to cover Winx this spring.

Peter Tighe, a part-owner of Winx, said the decision to send their mare to Pierro was the “unanimous” choice of the ownership group.

“We wanted a well-performed colonial stallion and tried to get the right match for her,” Tighe said.

“It suits her to go to Pierro and we don’t have to travel far with the mare to Coolmore. We are very happy with the decision.”

Tighe said the ownership group sought advice from several bloodstock agents and breeders before selecting Pierro for Winx.

“We wanted to pick a stallion that had all the points we were looking for and the consensus was Pierro,” Tighe said.

“He has thrown some very good horses and we are all looking forward to having a nice foal about this time next year.”

Winx winning her final race, the 2019 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

Winx, a member of racing’s elite Hall of Fame, was retired after winning her 33rd race in succession in the 2019 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick.

During her celebrated race career, she won 37 of her 43 races including a world record 25 Group 1 wins.

Her career earnings of $26.4 million remains the most by any thoroughbred in world racing.

Winx had a relatively complication-free 11-month pregnancy last year but sadly her filly by I Am Invincible was stillborn. The mare was then given time to recover and was not served again last spring breeding season.

Pierro was a former champion racehorse himself, winning 11 of his 14 starts including the 2012 juvenile triple crown comprising the Golden Slipper, ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes. He raced on as a three-year-old winning two more Group 1 races, Canterbury Stakes and George Ryder Stakes.

At stud, Pierro has established himself as one of the nation’s most outstanding young stallions and has already sired Group 1 winners Pierata, Arcadia Queen, Shadow Hero, Levendi, Regal Power and Pinot.

Meanwhile, Winx’s dam Vegas Showgirl will foal to Pride Of Dubai next month and then be sent to Extreme Choice this spring breeding season.

Originally published as Champion mare Winx to be served by Coolmore stallion Pierro this spring