Winx won her 19th consecutive race, taking out the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in yet another come from behind victory, leaving it very late again. She’s being asked for supreme efforts, and it’s a worry.
Her performance was enough to win, working home brilliantly again over the final 800m to run down eight-year-old gelding Red Excitement.
The exciting thing is that we’re getting to see Winx taken on by her rivals. Black Caviar had the mighty Hay List serve it up to her, but she was rarely given a hard time. Winx is being given a hard time, and fair enough!
Josh Parr on Red Excitement gave the old boy one of the best rides we’ll see. At the same time, Winx’s jockey Hugh Bowman let it happen. Bowman is arguably Australia’s best rider, but not an imperfect one. He lost touch, sitting behind Sense Of Occasion.
The problem is Red Excitement either lifted far beyond his best ever performance, probably when he won the Group 3 Summer Stakes over 2000m, or Winx is now beatable.
I’m not on the fence about her performances, but I’m just a bit worried for her. Suddenly the great mare looks vulnerable.
She’s run in two odd races now – missing the start famously in the Warwick Stakes to amazingly get home. She reared and missed the start. Bowman was nearly thrown off. She was first-up, not nearly at her best. And she ran down a quality field coming home with the breeze to scorch the track for her fans.
Cam Rose’s piece on what it was like to be in a throng of punters cheering her on gave me goosebumps. It was a gut-buster!
The Chelmsford was different. Another great win The clock said she ran her last 600m in 33.1 seconds, some 0.85 seconds or around 4.5 lengths superior to Antonio Giuseppe, the speediest finisher of her 11 rivals. Her last 200m was in 10.8s. That’s flying, and still not at her peak, nor her grand final and she wasn’t even pushed out to the line once she scooped up Red Excitement.
Bowman, after the race, said he was worried this time around.
“At the top of the straight I wasn’t worried last start but today I really was. What she did today was incredible, I mean everything she does in incredible, but I’m lost for words.”
Trainer Chris Waller said he’s looking to now skip a race as they head towards a third Cox Plate in-a-row, although she should line up in the George Main.
“They turned the race on, tried to break us up,” Waller said.
“It’s never what you like to see when you’ve got a horse like her chasing like that but fair play to them, [Red Excitement] did run second and not fall out and run last.
“It just proves she’s at her best and pretty hard to beat.
“We’ll go to the George Main now and then reassess. I want to skip a race somewhere.”
We’re very fortunate to be seeing Winx at her prime. After the George Main and hopefully her 20th straight win, she’ll be rock hard fit heading to the Cox Plate. It’s great for racing – let’s just hope she hasn’t gone too hard, too early in her prep.
Aransan
Guest
Black Caviar only had one run over 1400m and she would have been very beatable at that distance. Vain was a champion juvenile from 5 furlongs to a mile (1000m to 1600m), Black Caviar wouldn't have got near him over 1400m.
Scuba
Guest
Winx is a champion from 1400 to 2000. Black Caviar was a champion from 1000 to 1400. At her only race against decent opposition (or at least, one decent horse) beyond 2040 Winx was trounced. An extra furlong isn't going to win you too many arguments about versatility.
TC123
Guest
That was a stunning third Pierro ran in the Cox plate. Might be you that needs to get a grip
Blake
Guest
That's funny. Any good colt like, say, Pierro would have beaten Winx both starts this prep. Get a grip people.
Blake
Guest
Winx (just) beats 8yo Red Excitement! GOAT! GOAT! Lol. The fact is that she would have beaten twice in a row this prep if she had any decent competition.
Raimond
Roar Guru
She seems the better horse, but "pulverize"? I'm not so sure.
TC123
Guest
Comparing an unbeaten sprinter that had arguably two or three top class rivals to a horse that can win at any distance against numerous world class horses would suggest you are another that was caught up in the Black Caviar hype. Winx is twice the horse
kv joef
Roar Guru
The only time she Hugh opens her up is in her grand finals - Cox Plate x 4 lens and 8 lens, QEII x 5 lens - the other GF was the Doncaster ... she won by 2L on a Soft6 giving 6kg to the next 3 over the line ... lets see what happens in 6 weeks :-) . And i agree with the Waller tactic, long employed by elite trainers - one solid hitout a prep to make sure there is no laziness developing.
kv joef
Roar Guru
She ran a 94.5s mile with a 44s last 800m being sooled along hands and heels ... nothing 'flat' about that.
kv joef
Roar Guru
Got stop using the mantelpiece clock to time races :) .
kv joef
Roar Guru
she handles pace pressure with ease and than ups the ante --- that's why she is a legend. Gun Runner won the Woodward last night and he has a dodgy international rating of 127 (a couple to high) --- she'd pulverize him
kv joef
Roar Guru
She has beaten hartnell by an average of 6 lens --- that's a second.
kv joef
Roar Guru
no, i'm pretty sure alex is right.
Scuba
Guest
Probably not since that undefeated horse a few years ago. What was her name again?
Scuba
Guest
Wrong
Kurt
Guest
To be honest i dont think it was expected, winx can out sprint em all, given hugh doesn't underestimate the quality of the other horses
Kurt
Guest
The only way they will beat her is try an take the sprint out of the race, like parry almost did, f&#k that was a blinding run to only take the sikver though
Carlos
Guest
It was a superb effort but I question hughie ride. Your on best horse why do you have give them such a start. You could park Winx 1 out 1 back & no horse would pass her. They are lucky hartnell is on Melb because I doubt should of reeled him in
TC123
Guest
A mile second up after a tough run. Maybe a bit unfair on her by connections and a few critics in my opinion. They're not machines but she's probably the closest horse to one that I've seen.
Bondy
Guest
It must be concerning for Waller that she's not thrashing her rivals any longer, she's winning by heads and half lengths now . I'd be extremely concerned if she was a shorter price than $1.30 next start ? . I must also mention that Hartnell's currently in Melbourne ?, and I'd suggest he may have beaten her yesterday ? .... Profitable punting lads ...