Wonder Race: Who will win the battle to be crowned Australia’s greatest racehorse?

The Wonder Race concept was always going to create robust debate because every racing fan has their favourite champion. Vote on where Winx rates among the all-time great champions.

Hugh Bowman on Winx returns to scale after winning the Apollo Stakes in February.

The Wonder Race concept was always going to create robust debate — and perhaps the controversy has only just begun.

There are 12 great champions in the final field for The Wonder Race including inaugural Hall of Fame inductees Phar Lap, Carbine, Bernborough, Tulloch and Kingston Town.

The other seven starters are also members of the elite Hall of Fame — Peter Pan, Octagonal, Might And Power, Sunline, Lonhro, Makybe Diva and Winx.

VIDEO: THE FIRST 10 WINS OF THE WINX BLITZ

The make-up of the final field has prompted plenty of feedback from readers questioning how champions like Tobin Bronze, So You Think, Northerly, Sky High, Better Loosen Up, Bonecrusher, Beau Zam and other household names were left out.

WONDER RACE FORM GUIDE: WINX AND PHAR LAP

WONDER RACE FORM GUIDE: SUNLINE AND MIGHT POWER

WONDER RACE FORM GUIDE: TULLOCH AND MAKYBE DIVA

WONDER RACE FORM GUIDE: KINGSTON TOWN AND CARBINE

WONDER RACE FORM GUIDE: BERNBOROUGH AND OCTAGONAL

WONDER RACE FORM GUIDE: PETER PAN AND LONHRO

But this is what The Wonder Race has done — it’s divided opinion because every racing fan has their favourite champion.

The idea of The Wonder Race is to try and determine where mare Winx rates among the pantheon of the all-time great champions of the turf.

The field for the Wonder Race. Who will win?

So, as the build-up to Winx’s farewell race, the Group 1 $4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday intensifies, I enlisted the help of respected form expert Gary Crispe and revered racecaller John Tapp to analyse each of the 12 runners and then by consensus determine the race result.

Hugh Bowman returns to scale after riding Winx to another victory.

“I guess in one sense it’s a shame there can be only one winner,’’ Crispe said.

“The field is made up of 12 outstanding champions so separating them was never going to be an easy task.

Hugh Bowman presses the button and Winx responds.

“But that is what we do at Timeform — comparing racehorses. We take a scientific approach to rating each horse by using all the available data including quality of opposition, race times, track conditions and other variables.

“The Timeform ratings are the one globally recognised measurement of a racehorse’s performance and provides a very good base to compare champions.

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Hugh Bowman and the mighty mare Winx have thrilled a nation for almost four years.

“Of course, I never saw Phar Lap, Carbine, Tulloch, Bernborough or Peter Pan race but this is where Timeform provides us with the opportunity to compare the greats of yesterday with the champions of today.

“It’s a fascinating concept and although not every racing fan will agree with the end result of The Wonder Race, it’s certainly creating a lot of debate and interest ahead of Winx’s farewell race.’’

Winx — What you need to know.

TAB Fixed Odds price assessors have framed a hypothetical betting market on “The Wonder Race” with Winx favourite at $4.50 ahead of Phar Lap at $6.

A reader poll has been set-up on Twitter where using the #TheWonderRace you can have your say on who might win.

On Wednesday, just three days before Winx’s farewell race, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Tapp will call a simulated race, The Wonder Race live at 12.30pm at www.dailytelegraph.com.au to determine who is the greatest of them all.

The debate is only just beginning …

Originally published as Wonder Race: Who will win the battle to be crowned Australia’s greatest racehorse?