The first-up run of champion mare Winx remains up in the air after her regular rider Hugh Bowman lost his Sydney appeal against a careless riding charge.
The possibility of Hugh Bowman being unavailable has the first-up autumn run for Winx next race up in the air. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Chris Waller’s brilliant daughter of Street Cry was originally scheduled to kick off her autumn on February 17 in the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick.
A winner of her past 22 starts on the trot, Winx has continued to defy the history books and a big part of her success has been linked to having Bowman in the saddle.
Plans for her resuming run however have been thrown under a cloud of doubt after Bowman, aboard for the six-year-old’s 19 latest runs and wins, copped a careless riding charge for an Australia Day ride at Warwick Farm.
The Sydney suspension, which the Racing NSW Appeals Panel failed to downgrade on Monday, alone would not prevent Bowman from riding Winx next race in the Apollo Stakes as it finishes on February 10.
The master hoop however had been hoping for leniency as he suffered a second suspension on January 27 for a ride across the Tasman in New Zealand.
Bowman must now wait until Friday for the disciplinary board in NZ to hear that appeal.
“I really believed that we had a case to come here with,” Bowman told Racing Victoria.
“I wouldn’t have just come here in the hope that if I asked politely they’d give me reduction – we really felt we had a case. It was heard fairly so that’s all I can ask for.
“It’s not the end of the world.
“Being suspended for careless riding is part and parcel of what we do and I think for the sake of safety and fairness of horse racing, it is important that we ride with due care.”
Whether Waller will risk the fairy-tale coming to an end with a jockey change for his 15-time Group 1 Winx in the Apollo Stakes 2018 also remains to be seen.
If Waller decides to bypass the Apollo and wait for Bowman, other first-up options for Winx include the Group 1 $500,000 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day (February 24) or the Group 2 $200,000 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on the same day in Sydney.
There are also Apollo Stakes betting markets open at Ladbrokes.com.au on what jockey will ride Winx if Bowman is unavailable, Jason Collett the $2.80 favourite.
To get behind superstar mare Winx next race and across the autumn at the right odds visit Ladbrokes.com.au today.
