Winx is not in the 2017 Melbourne Cup and she will soon be sent for a well-deserved stint in the spelling paddock.
Winx was sent to the spelling paddock after she recorded an historic win over Humidor in the 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Winx’s entire 2017 Spring Racing Carnival campaign was centred around her history-making third straight victory in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate and connections never put any thought into running her in the Melbourne Cup and she was not even nominated for ‘the race that stops a nation’.
A Melbourne Cup tilt in 2018 is incredibly unlikely for Winx and she will finish her career without ever being tested over 3200 metres.
The weight that Winx would be allocated if she ran in the Melbourne Cup would be massive and there is no chance that trainer Chris Waller and the other connections of the great mare would ever put her under that pressure.
There was serious consideration given to running Winx in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) on the final day of the 2017 Melbourne Cup Carnival, but connections made the decision to send her to the spelling paddock as they eye an overseas campaign for her in 2018.
Winx maintained her incredible winning streak during the 2017 Spring Racing Carnival, but there were definitely some nervous moments.
She started her campaign in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) and she gave punters a heart-attack when she missed the start, but she was still able to finish over the top of Foxplay and Ecuador in the final stages of the race.
There was more nervous moments when Red Excitement opened up a big lead in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on September 2, but she was eventually able to run him down and she went on to win the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at the same venue on September 16.
Winx returned to her dominant best when she flogged her rivals to record a massive victory in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 7 and she held-off a flying Humidor to claim victory in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
The lack of Winx has ensured that the 2017 Melbourne Cup is an extremely open betting race and it is Marmelo – who will be ridden by Winx’s regular jockey Hugh Bowman – that is currently a narrow favourite in the 2017 Melbourne Cup betting market with Ladbrokes.com.au from Almandin ($9), Humidor ($9.50) and Johannes Vermeer ($10).
