Superstar status well deserved

These are just two words to hang around the neck of the great Winx.

CHAMPION: Hugh Bowman rides Winx during the Cox Plate. Picture: JULIAN SMITH

BOMBER'S BLAST

IF you look up the word superstar in the dictionary it states: "Someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent or successful in their field".

If you you look up champion it states: "A person or animal that has surpassed all rivals in a sporting contest".

These are just two words to hang around the neck of the great Winx.

She retired last weekend after winning 33 straight races, 25 of those at Group 1 level.

Racecourses around Australia will never be the same as the scenes that were witnessed at Randwick last Saturday.

It is not often that a racetrack is a sell-out to watch a racehorse, but then again this was no average horse we were saying goodbye to. She is the leading money earner in history with a staggering $26,421,176 and retires with a record of 43 starts 37 wins and 3 seconds.

The debate will start now whether she is the greatest of all-time.

Let's just say when you talk about the top five then she is seriously in the discussion.

Thank you Winx for the enjoyment you have given us all.

Country traditions

WE all love visiting the great grounds in Brisbane and surrounds but the best round on the QRL Intrust Super Cup calendar is the Country Round that is run each year.

This means both teams give up home ground advantage to take rugby league to the country areas.

A lot of these areas have produced some great players for our game.

The QRL recently released where the teams will be travelling to, to entertain our country fans.

On Saturday, July 20, Tweed take on CQ at IIfracombe, Redcliffe and Souths Logan travel to Pittsworth, the Pride and our mighty Ipswich Jets play on Thursday Island and Wynnum and Mackay travel over 1700km north of Brisbane to Cloncurry.

On Sunday, Sunshine Coast and Norths battle it out at Nanango as the Blackhawks and Burleigh fight it out at Ingham.

PNG will play Easts in PNG at a venue to be decided.

NBA excitement

THE NBA playoffs have begun with most of the fancies taking the upper hands in their first round clashes.

Australia's big star Ben Simmons is amongst the action leading his 76ers with a triple double earlier in the week in victory over the Nets.

The bookmakers have an outright favourite in the Steph Curry led Golden State Warriors but I am sure the Bucks, Rockets, Raptors and the Celtics will have something to say about it, or will we see a darkhorse make their way through the playoffs like the Nuggets, Thunder, Spurs, Blazers, Jazz, Pacers, Clippers, Magic or Pistons.

Quick thoughts

HEROES of the week: 1. It's one of the greatest comebacks in any sport. Tiger Woods has announced that he still has the magic that enabled him to win 14 majors before winning the Masters. To be able to compete at the top level after the off course personal turmoil he has faced plus the serious injuries he has endured with his body makes him one of the all-time greats.

2. While most people expected the Brisbane Lions to improve this year, no-one could envisage the major improvement in the Gold Coast Suns. They sit in fifth position after five rounds with only one loss to their name and that was a one-point defeat to St Kilda.

Villain of the week: Josh McGuire keep your hands to yourself. You were lucky to not be charged with an eye gouging offence. I am not sure how a fine is the correct punish-ment for this act.

Did you know? Tigers Woods holds the record as the youngest winner of the Masters. He also holds the widest margin (12 strokes) and the equal lowest winning score 270 (-18).

Bomber's best: My horse tip had the form to win the Sydney Cup but ran like a maiden galloper in a Group 1 finishing at the tail of the field. This week put Parramatta to open their new state of the art stadium on Easter Monday with a win.

Top players

RLI A-Grade Player of the Year standings:Goodna v Redbank - 3 Brett Kelly (Goodna), 2 Ben Apelu (Redbank), 1 LJ Waddups (Goodna).

Fassifern v Brothers: 3 Wes Conlon (Brothers), 2 Josh Leisemann (Brothers), 1 Mahe Paseka (Fassifern).

Swifts v Norths: 3 Ricki Mato (Swifts), 2 Jesse Zampech (Norths), 1 Jake O'Doherty (Swifts).

Ladder: 8 Wes Conlon (Brothers); 6 Brett Kelly (Goodna); 5 John Paul Leota (Redbank), John Maila (Brothers); 4 Jake O'Doherty (Swifts); 3 Harold Mosby (Swifts), Ramon Filipine (Goodna), Keni Pouhila (Redbank), Morris Ekeroma (Goodna), Robert Kennedy (Brothers), Tupu Lisati (West End), Ethan Page (Norths), Tepa Fuiavalili (West End), Chris Ash (Brothers).

Latest points: 18 Brothers, 16 Goodna, 15 Swifts,

12 Redbank, 11 West End, 10 Norths, 8 Fassifern.

Originally published as Superstar status well deserved