Winx makes it 20 and it was ‘almost like auto-pilot’

Clinton Payne - Monday September 18

Jockey Hugh Bowman has never exerted so much energy aboard super mare Winx but in the end she made it look easy, claiming her second Group I George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Advertisement
Winx makes it 20 straight in the George Main Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart

"Once she got the scent, she just cuts in," Bowman said. "It's almost like auto-pilot."

Winx wasn't the best to leave the barriers again on Saturday and settled back towards the tail of the field before Bowman started to ride her along closing in on the 1000m, then he gave the mare a crack with the whip approaching the 600m.

"She didn't travel into it like I'm accustomed to which surprised me," he said. "I wasn't worried when they were running such fast time.

"I don't think she's as comfortable on that firmer ground."

At the top of the straight Winx was still third last and her main rival in betting, Happy Clapper was starting to stride into the race with his jockey Blake Shinn sitting quietly aboard the hulking gelding but inside the 300m, Bowman gave Winx two meaningful slaps with the whip and that was it, "she picked Happy Clapper up in two strides".

"She's cost me two Group Is that bitch," Happy Clapper's trainer Pat Webster joked. "She's cost him a Doncaster and a George Main.

"I dared to dream because I was really travelling and I thought 'could this be the day'.

"I'm very proud of my bloke and it's so exciting. We're a part of it running second to her."

Winx ($1.12 fav) defeated Happy Clapper ($15) by 1-1/4 lengths with 4-1/2 lengths back to Foxplay in third. The race time of 1.33.65 broke Racing To Win's race record set in 2006.

"She's a hard horse to watch," trainer Chris Waller said. "There are so many things to analyse when she runs.

"My initial reaction to how she travelled is I guess she's never run in a race with a tempo of 1.33.

"If she didn't finish off I'd say, 'gee we we're in trouble a long way from home'. I'd say she's looking for a bit further now.

"On these good tracks it's just go, go, go and they went out way too quick."

Waller said Monday is likely to be the day when he announces the race Winx will chase her 21st consecutive win.

The trainer has said all preparation that after the George Main Stakes, Winx would only have one more start before the Cox Plate.

"We've got to do the right thing by the horse," he said. "I'd say Monday we'll give everybody an idea what we're thinking.

"She doesn't need to race in two weeks time, I can see that today and there's three options for her.

"Four weeks is most likely (in the Craven Plate or Caulfield Stakes) but she could run in three weeks in the Turnbull."

Only Black Caviar on 25 has now won more consecutive races than Winx in the Australian racing record books.

Advertisment
More Reading...
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Sires With Winners - Friday September 26
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Pride of Jenni Too Good for Treasurethe Moment in G2 Feehan
Pride of Jenni might be an eight year-old mare that is drawing ever closer to the end of her glorious career, but there was a sparkle in her eye before the Group II MVRC Feehan Stakes (1600m) and it was the Jenni of old that ran her rivals ragged at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Randwick around the track with Clinton Payne on Saturday
Saturday saw the return of Australian racing’s pin-up girl Winx and after giving racegoers a genuine heart flutter, she duly delivered with one of her best ever wins at Randwick.
Expensive I Am Invincible Mare Wins G1 Manikato
The highest priced filly at the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale when selling for $1.55million, I Am Invincible filly Charm Stone has been a star from day one and is now a two time Group I winner after landing her second victory at the top level with a dominant win in the $2million MVRC Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Toronado’s Snow Mercy Takes Out G3 Scarborough Stakes
Coming off the back of a maiden victory at Morphettville recently at just her second start, the Phillip Stokes trained Snow Mercy highlighted her future class with an impressive victory in the Group 3 MVRC Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Deserving Stakes Success For Splash Back (Fr)
Unlucky not to already has a stakes victory on her resume, the Grahame Begg trained French-bred Le Havre mare Splash Back (Fr) broke through on Friday night at Moonee Valley, winning the $300,000 Group 2 MVRC Stock Stakes (1500m).
Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Stutt Stakes
The racing and breeding world was shocked earlier this week by the passing of champion sire Wootton Bassett (GB), whose talented son West of Swindon picked the right race in which to break his maiden when scoring a bold front running victory in the $300,000 Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.