Winx may not have officially raced at Flemington Racecourse as yet but the superstar mare attacked the line showing “she knew what the long Flemington straight was all about” in a telling piece of work ahead of Saturday’s 2017 Turnbull Stakes.
Winx looks set to handle her Flemington debut in Saturday’s Turnbull Stakes 2017 field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The mighty daughter of Street Cry boasts three Group 1 wins from three previous Melbourne assignments, including back-to-back victories in the famous Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
The six-year-old is on track to join Kingston Town (1980-82) as the only other triple Cox Plate winner in history this spring and has her final lead-up into the weight-for-age classic this weekend.
Heading to Flemington for the first time, Winx is still the one to beat in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) where she looks to extend her incredible winning streak to 21 straight.
On Monday Winx impressed in a telling track gallop at Flemington alongside stablemate Japonisme.
The 13-time Group 1 winner’s regular rider Hugh Bowman partnered Winx in the work over the 1200m ‘Straight Six’, the final 1000m completed in one minute and four seconds with a last 400m sectional in 23 seconds.
“She trailed approximately 200 metres behind stable mate Japonisme in her gallop to give her a lead and she worked over 1200m conservatively,” Waller told Racing Victoria.
“She steadily built momentum in to the work to ensure she knew what the long Flemington straight was all about and attacked the line well. Both Hugh and I couldn’t have been any happier with the work.
“It was a good work out which she recovered quickly from, I am therefore happy with her fitness.
“She ran approximately 1.04 for the 1000 metres and the last 400 in 23 seconds.
“She will have a very light gallop on Thursday morning prior to her media commitment at Flemington which we will be in touch with later in the week.
“It is great to see her settle in so quickly and not take any harm from the travel.”
Winx leads futures Turnbull Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au already paying a short $1.20 for the win, with her biggest rival tipped to be the Darren Weir-trained Humidor ($5.50).
Weir’s flying son of Teofilo comes off an over three length victory defeating the reigning Turnbull Stakes winner Hartnell (2nd) and stablemate Black Heart Bart (3rd) in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
The five-year-old now boasts two elite level Flemington wins with Humidor also successful back in March over Jameka in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m).
His pet distance is the 2000m (4-3-1-0) and he will relish getting back up to the metres four runs into his spring campaign this Saturday.
The official Turnbull Stakes 2017 field and barriers are set for release on Wednesday making now the time to back Winx before her price firms further through Ladbrokes.com.au.
