This Saturday in Sydney the superstar of the Australian turf Winx has her next race in the 2018 Chipping Norton Stakes and looks set to surpass the Group 1 winning record she currently co-holds with former champion sprinter Black Caviar.
Winx is odds-on in 2018 Chipping Norton Stakes betting to eclipse the Group 1 winning record she currently co-holds with Black Caviar this Saturday in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.
Black Caviar and her famous salmon and black polka dot silks made history with the Peter Moody-trained Bel Esprit mare winning all 25 of her career starts from April 2009 until her retirement during the autumn of 2013.
During her incredible winning streak the superstar enjoyed 15 Group 1 wins, including an international success at Royal Ascot in the UK’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m).
The racing world and wider public is now caught up in Winx fever with Chris Waller’s outstanding daughter of Street Cry chasing her 16th Group 1 turf triumph first-up in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).
The six-year-old equalled Black Caviar on 15 elite level victories last October when saluting in her third consecutive Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m), a feat only ever previously achieved by the great Kingston Town (1980-82).
There looks to be little stopping Winx from leaving Black Caviar in her dust on Saturday, the dual defending Chipping Norton Stakes winner at $1.09 through Ladbrokes.com.au to salute in her delayed autumn kick-off.
Winx is also fast approaching the 25 straight turf triumphs of the ‘Black Flash’ with 22 on the trot heading into the Chipping Norton, but Waller remains ever respectful of those that came before his glamour mare.
“I guess it’s something to discuss, but you have to respect Black Caviar was unbeaten,” he told Racing Victoria after Winx had her final lead-up gallop on Thursday ahead of the weekend.
“So she’ll never lose that title.
“[Getting the 25] consecutive wins, well yeah, it’ll be great to be able to talk about it in years to come I’m sure.”
Original plans to resume in the Apollo Stakes a fortnight ago were shelved with the suspension of Winx’s regular rider Hugh Bowman, who is back aboard on Saturday.
Winx was readied for her postponed first-up run with a special simulated race on Apollo Stakes Day, which showed Bowman his ace ride was ready to get back to the business of winning races without giving punters a scare as she did early during the spring.
“I was more relaxed leading into this week than I was last preparation,” he said.
“I suppose the familiarity of being in the position. And I’m comfortable where she’s at.
“Last prep, she was quite agitated in the trials, barriers … as I said before, she was quite above herself, unsettled, even pulling a bit.
“Not so much in the early stages, but after a run or two, she started to pull hard. It wasn’t going as smoothly.
“This time it seems to have gone really smoothly, she seems so happy, her barrier manners have been second to none, so I’m quite relaxed and comfortable going into the first-up run, but you never know until you get there.”
To back Winx next race on the weekend and to access all the best Chipping Norton Stakes 2018 odds visit Ladbrokes.com.au.
