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Doncaster Mile: Winx blows them away again to win ninth straight

2nd April, 2016
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Should Winx come back for number 26? (AAP Image/David Moir)
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2nd April, 2016
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The Group 1 Doncaster Mile over 1600m was won by Winx, the people’s horse and the Queen of the Turf, in brilliant fashion yet again.

She did it all; beating the handicap weight, coming from near last on a bold ride from Hugh Bowman, and on a shifting track that unstuck some of her rivals.

The beaten brigade were honest in defeat but Happy Clapper in second and Azkadellia in third were given huge weight advantages and were flying late. Winx continued to run away from them to the line to win by more than a length.

Trainer Chris Waller fought back tears when describing her win and admitted he thought she was gone with 800m to go, having sat third-last and with no easy passage through a bunched field.

But when Bowman pushed her she burst through the pack in a weaving run, and was suddenly running away from the rest in an instant.

Her nine straight victories include five Group 1s – the Epsom, the Cox Plate, George Ryder, Chipping Norton and the Doncaster. Her victory secured the winners cheque of $1.8 million and she looks set to be one of the shortest favourites in history for the Queen Elizabeth next week if she backs up.

There’s little left for her to prove on home soil and a suitable race overseas may be planned.

Australia’s top sprinter, Chautauqua, earlier won the TJ Smith, while New Zealand horse Tavago won the Australian Derby in a blowout over hot fancy Tarvino.

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