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Outpouring of Emotion for Winx at her Penultimate Start

Mark Smith - Saturday March 23

Four Cox Plates, four Chipping Norton's and now four Group 1 George Ryder Stakes, while cracking the $24 million barrier in earnings, Winx continued on her history-making journey among chaotic scenes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

As her career finale draws ever closer, fans took the opportunity to display an outpouring of affection for the Chris Waller-trained daughter of Street Cry (IRE) who stretched her world-record of Group 1 wins to 24 with her 32nd consecutive win.



With Hugh Bowman taking bad-luck out of the equation, Winx came four wide on the home turn and went arrow straight to defeat Brutal by three and a half lengths with Dreamforce a further two and three-quarter lengths back in third. (images Steve Hart)

It advances the record of Winx to 36 wins and 3 seconds from 42 starts with earnings of $24,009,675.

Doing his best to keep his emotions in check, Chris Waller said Winx never fails to deliver.

"I guess it was a different sort of run race. A little bit of pressure early, they backed off, Hughie popped out four wide with a bit of arrogance as we've seen him do and as he's entitled to do," Waller said.

"Obviously, everyone expects her to win and that's one of the reasons she does."

"Every other jockey I'm telling not to be three wide but with her we have to be three wide to stay out of trouble. It's the longest way home and it was a good fight but the last 200m she just powered away.

"She's a very special horse. I'm sure she knows what's going on. Just a marvellous horse to work with and we owe it to her to be in this position.

"I know The Queen is fully aware of Winx and we're very proud of that. We've had messages from time to time. She's brought the world closer to Australian racing. We haven't been there but we don't need to be worrying about that. We can just enjoy this for a racing moment that will be remembered for a long time here."


Hugh Bowman took Winx on a length of the straight victory lap on what will be her last race on her home track.

"When I asked her to stretch she responded and you could hear the crowd roar. The excitement and the emotion, she responds to that as well as anything else, and once again I am just so proud of her and proud to be a part of it," Bowman said.

"The ground today, although it's a beautiful afternoon, the ground is significantly testing, and it was quite similar to how it was two years ago when she annihilated Le Romain. Because she works on the track she is very comfortable and has a lot of confidence on it. I think that helps her to perform.

"I would never have imagined in those days growing up that I would be riding one of the greatest horses that has ever lived."

A half-sister to Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes winner El Divino, Winx was a $230,000 purchase by Magic Bloodstock out of the Coolmore draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Her dam Vegas Showgirl, a dual Listed stakes-winning daughter of Al Akbar, was a $455,000 purchase by Colm Santry Bloodstock on behalf of John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds at the 2008 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Vegas Showgirl has a 2yo Snitzel filly named Courchevel and a yearling filly by Exceed And Excel named Covent Garden.

On November 30, Vegas Showgirl arrived back from Japan after a date with Deep Impact (JPN).


 

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