Punters were originally gearing up for Winx to run in the Apollo Stakes on February 17 but instead will watch the star mare in a special Randwick gallop that Saturday ahead of her rescheduled Chipping Norton Stakes return.

The dual careless riding suspensions of Hugh Bowman saw trainer Chris Waller and connections shelve plans to race the world’s best mare Winx first-up in the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m).

Instead the 15-time Group 1 champion will kick off her Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival bid a fortnight later with a title defence in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.

To put a few more metres in her legs and make-up for the missed Apollo Stakes run, a race Winx won in both 2016 and 2017, the six-year-old daughter of Street Cry has been confirmed by Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club (ATC) for a 1200m Randwick gallop on Apollo Stakes Day.

“Winx has captivated the imagination and heart of the Australian public for the past few years,” Racing NSW Chief Executive Mr Peer V’landys said.

“Sports need charismatic champions that get everyone talking and have that ‘wow’ factor. Winx has it all in spades.

“The Winx Rehearsal on Saturday 17 February provides the racing public with the opportunity to see Winx step back on to the headquarters of racing in Australia, Royal Randwick Racecourse, in preparation for her assault on history.”

Waller plans to simulate race day conditions with the gallop, scheduled for 2:35pm (AEDT) after Race 3, and in it Bowman will don both a microphone and camera to give race fans a unique insight into the run.

“This is an interesting way to show the general public a behind the scenes aspect of Winx,” Waller said.

“It is obvious that people want to know more about her and it is hard to find new ways to be able to convey to people what she is like without repeating ourselves in the media or at the races, so this will certainly give an insight into what goes towards preparing a horse for a big race.

“As we see in modern day sport, especially on the television whether it be the 20/20 cricket or motor car racing, and as early as this week, the Super Bowl, the general public want new initiatives and new ways to connect with the sports they follow, so I am certainly looking forward to being part of this initiative.”

Winx will also be joined by stablemates Who Shot Thebarman, Libran, Mackintosh and McCreery in the event.

The triple Cox Plate hero chases her 23^rd straight win when she races in the Chipping Norton Stakes, her first official start since taking out Australasia’s weight-for-age championship for the third time last October at The Valley.

Winx has trialled twice at Rosehill since, the latest seeing her run four lengths back fifth behind Peter & Paul Snowden’s The Everest – Darley Classic winning sprinter Redzel over 1000m on February 5.

Get the best Winx odds online all autumn through Ladbrokes.com.au.