Winx makes it 19 straight in thrilling Chelmsford Stakes win

In the end it was not the heart stopping finish of the Warwick Stakes, however, Saturday's $250,000 Group II Tatts Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick proved no less intriguing.

The race was made when Josh Parr set a sold pace on the Gerald Ryan-trained Red Excitement who travelled over the Randwick rise with a six-length margin on the champion Winx who was forced to carry the field up to the tearaway leader.

To add to the excitement Hugh Bowman dropped his whip in the straight but it was not needed.

For the 19th consecutive time, Winx charged home, with every ground devouring stride she reeled in Red Excitement, who had given his all to fall one length short of a giant upset.

 Chocante (NZ) was three and three-quarter of a length back in third.  (photo Steve Hart) 

"I was comfortable in the first part of the race but I could see what was happening," Bowman said.

"So I started to make my way closer from the 900 metre mark but I still had to stay within myself.

"I wasn't worried last start but today I really was.

"What she did today was incredible. Everything she does is incredible but I'm lost for words.  

"I'm concentrating on just keeping her balanced but when she hit the afterburners at the 150 today I just can't explain the feeling."

Winning trainer Chris Waller made no secret that he was worried when Red Excitement had set such a commanding lead coming in the straight.

"I didn't think she was going to get there today to be honest. I was more confident the other day at the 300," Waller said.

Waller said Winx would now defend her title in the Group I George Main Stakes over the same course and distance in a fortnight before he decides the mare's next run.

"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, it 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."

Winx equals Desert Gold and Gloaming's winning streak and also equals the winning run of another daughter of Street Cry (IRE) the imperious Zenyatta who won her first 19 starts before a heartbreaking defeat in the Breeders' cup Classic at her final start.

In winning her 21st stakes race Winx advances her record to 23 wins and three seconds from 28 starts with earnings of $13,183,425.

Bred by John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds, Winx was a $230,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Coolmore draft for Peter Tighe's Magic Bloodstock.

A half-sister to Group III Kindergarten Stakes winner El Divino, Winx is out of the Al Akbar mare Vegas Showgirl who has a an unnamed 3yo colt by Snitzel that was purchased for $2,300,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft by Gai Waterhouse Racing / J Blaxland at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale.

Vegas Showgirl a yearling Snitzel filly and was covered by Exceed And Excel last spring.