Champion mare Winx extended her winning sequence to twenty-eight with an uncharacteristic fight to the line to score back to back wins in the Group 1 $500,000 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington today.
Winx, above, stretched her winning sequence to 28 with her win in the 2018 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Hugh Bowman settled Winx near the tail of the field in the early stages of the race but found himself hemmed in at the 800m and with no way out on the super star mare.
The roughie Trap For Fools ($101) set a steady pace up front and Bowman had to bide his time until well into the straight before he was able to select a path in between runners and set out to chase the leaders.
The Flemington crowd watched on in amazement as Winx ($1.10 favourite) edged into the clear and hit top gear to mow down the leaders and claim her twenty-first Group 1 trophy with a one length victory over her stablemate Youngstar ($41) while the Darren Weir trained Kings Will Dream ($14) ran a super race to find third spot up along the inside fence.
Winning trainer Chris Waller said he was a little surprised to see Winx inside of runners back in the field but knew if she found open spaces would use her powerful finishing burst to claim victory.
“She hasn’t been there for a long time (inside of horses). The Doncaster was one of those races,” Waller said.
“It is the best way to ride a horse. It was a picture perfect Bowman ride, but you are weighing on a bit of luck, the gaps came and she had a bit of ground to make up but we are at Flemington, it is just home for a racehorse really the way they can get onto their right leg, get through their gears which is what she did today.”
“All she had to do was repeat her form and she did that.”
“What more can you say. She has done us proud each and every time and we are very proud of her wherever she goes and it is great to see today’s turn out for her. It is pretty special.”
Winx will have her next run in the Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 27 looking to make it four wins in a row in the weight for age championship.
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