Champion mare Winx along with her premiership winning trainer Chris Waller dominate the nominations for the 2018 Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Winx, above, is among the nominations for the 2018 Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Winx along with five of her stablemates are among the thirteen nominations for the weight for age Autumn Feature over the famous Randwick Metric Mile.
Winx will be making a late entry into the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival after her first up run was put back two weeks after regular rider Hugh Bowman was unable to ride the mare in the Group 2 $250,000 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 17 because he was on the sidelines due to a careless riding suspension.
Bowman is back in business and Waller said that Winx was ready to tackle the 1600m first up after winning a specially convened 1200m barrier trial in between races at Randwick on Apollo Stakes Race Day.
“The trial has brought her on and she is ready to go to the Chipping Norton,” Waller told AAP.
“She has had a very good week since then and we couldn’t be happier.”
Winx will be having her first run back since making history during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival by scoring a third consecutive win in the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley which equalled Kingston Town’s long standing record of three straight Cox Plate wins and took her winning sequence to twenty-two.
Waller’s other five Chipping Norton Stakes nominations are Come’ Through, Endless Drama, Libran, McCreery and Who Shot Thebarman.
Endless Drama and Comin’ Through could clash again after finishing first and third in the Apollo Stakes while Libran, McCreery and Who Shot Thebarman are all facing the starter for the first time this Autumn.
The Kris Lees trained Prized Icon finished just behind the placegetters when fourth in the Apollo Stakes and is also among the nominations for the Chipping Norton Stakes.
Nominations for the 2018 Chipping Norton Stakes have been extended until 11am on Tuesday, February 27 and the final acceptances will be taken at 9am on Wednesday February 28.
Early betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the 2018 Chipping Norton Stakes: $1.08 Winx, $16 Comin’ Through, Endless Drama, Prized Icon, $35 Stampede, $51 Classic Uniform, McCreery, $101 Jemadar, Libran, $126 Vinland, $201 Berdibek, Lasqueti Spirit, $301 Who Shot Thebarman.
Nominations for the 2018 Chipping Norton Stakes
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 311743×8 | BERDIBEK (FR) | G | 4 | John O’Shea | 82 |
| 2 | 80222511×7 | CLASSIC UNIFORM | G | 5 | Gary Moore | 109 |
| 3 | 338x1160x3 | COMIN’ THROUGH | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 103 |
| 4 | 5x0x360x31 | ENDLESS DRAMA (IRE) | H | 6 | Chris Waller | 107 |
| 5 | x223x66411 | JEMADAR | G | 4 | David Pfieffer | 80 |
| 6 | 027530x00x | LASQUETI SPIRIT | M | 4 | Lee Curtis | 101 |
| 7 | 6Px616528x | LIBRAN (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 107 |
| 8 | 495x84730x | MCCREERY (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 102 |
| 9 | 6202720×24 | PRIZED ICON | H | 4 | Kris Lees | 107 |
| 10 | 12411x13x6 | STAMPEDE | H | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 103 |
| 11 | 56x1514x0 | VINLAND | C | 3 | Tony McEvoy | 67 |
| 12 | 642x94491x | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | G | 9 | Chris Waller | 109 |
| 13 | 111x11111x | WINX | M | 6 | Chris Waller | 132 |
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