After nearly making history as the first horse to defeat Winx in over two years, the Gerald Ryan-trained veteran Red Excitement gets another shot at the world’s best mare in the 2017 George Main Stakes this weekend.
Red Excitement faces Winx for a third time on the trot in Saturday’s 2017 George Main Stakes field at Royal Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.
Chris Waller’s darling of the turf Winx chases her 20th consecutive victory at Royal Randwick on Saturday racing third-up in the Group 1 $500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m).
The daughter of Street Cry hasn’t tasted defeat since her second to Gust Of Wind in the ATC Oaks as a three-year-old back in April of 2015.
A winner of over $13 million in prize money, Winx is the one to beat and will jump at prohibitive George Main Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au as she looks to continue the fairy tale and defend her title in the mile showdown.
Waller has dominated recent George Main Stakes results winning four of the past five editions, including with Winx last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
The now six-year-old mare should be rock hard fit following two closer than expected victories at the Randwick track this time in.
The latest had punters’ hearts in their mouths, as she powered home late to run down the tearaway leader Red Excitement to win the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m).
While far from confident heading into Saturday’s rematch, Ryan may not be instructing hoop Joshua Parr to employ the same brazen tactics when he again partners the stable’s eight-year-old Excites gelding Red Excitement.
The horse hasn’t won a race since lumping 59kg to a two length victory over Sense Of Occasion in the Listed Gosford Cup (2100m) back in mid-January.
He went on to run a brave second under an even heftier weight of 61kg in the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill in February, before 62kg got the better of him for his fifth to Dark Eyes in the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m) in March.
This time in Red Excitement showed he still had a zest for racing running under two lengths back fourth as a $101 shot first-up behind Winx, who came from last after missing the kick by four lengths, in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m).
He proved a danger again in the Chelmsford Stakes and will again enjoy the weight-for-age conditions of the George Main Stakes.
“He carried 61kg in the Parramatta Cup and 62kg in the Canberra Cup at the end of his last campaign,” Ryan told The Australian this week.
“He was weighted out of those races. The way he is racing, I wish I’d put him in weight-for-age races earlier.”
Other likely rivals out to bring down Winx include stablemate Foxplay who has had an extra week off after her gut-buster when up front until the final stride in the Warwick Stakes and last start Tramway Handicap winner Happy Clapper.
For the best odds on Winx this weekend and further ahead as she targets a third straight win in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.
