The world’s number one rated race horse Winx will continue her future racing in Australia with connections agreeing to forego a trip to England to compete in the famous Royal Ascot Carnival in June.
Winx, above, won’t be travelling to England to run at Royal Ascot. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trainer Chris Waller released a statement today that confirmed that Winx would stay in Australia after running in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on day two of The Championships on April 14 and after a short break will be prepared for the 2018 Spring Carnival.
“Following lengthy discussions between the owners, Hugh Bowman and I, it has been decided that Winx will remain in Australia following the Queen Elizabeth Stakes held on April 14 at Royal Randwick and not embark on an international campaign.”
“It is out plan to continue to race her into the Spring and hopefully Australia can play host to international visitors during our carnival,” Waller wrote in his press release on Twitter.
Winx created history during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival when she won a third consecutive Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley which equalled the legendary Kingston Town’s record of three straight wins in 1980, 1981 and 1982, in ‘The Weight For Age Championship of Australasia’.
Winx will be looking for back to back wins in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes after defeating Hartnell last year and the champion mare will also be trying to claim her twenty-fifth win in succession.
At her latest start at Rosehill last Saturday, the world class mare was able to win her twenty-fourth straight win with her third victory in the Group 1 $1m The Agency George Ryder Stakes (1500m) which took her overall win tally to twenty-eight which includes seventeen at Group 1 level.
The Winx Team had been contemplating a trip to England to run in the Group 1 £600,000 The Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot in June and had had offers from overseas Racing Authorities who tried to lure the mighty mare to perform overseas, but Waller said that the mare had nothing more to prove to the world and the best course to take was to prepare Winx for another Spring Carnival campaign and try to win an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate at The Valley.
“She has won on tracks rated from fast to heavy and over distances ranging from 1100m to 2200m, she has taken on all comers and won under Group 1 handicap, set weight and penalty and weight for age conditions. Winx has nothing more to prove to anyone, she is and always will be regarded as a legend of the turf and it is champions like her that make up the fabric of this great sport,” Waller’s statement read.
Winx is currently the $1.20 favourite for the 2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au and also heads the 2018 Ladbrokes Cox Plate market order at $1.70.
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