2 to take on Winx in Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes

Australia’s newest racing sensation Winx will only have to beat two rivals to claim her twelfth successive win in the Group 1 $600,000 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Winx, above, only has 2 rivals in the Caulfield Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Winx, above, only has 2 rivals in the Caulfield Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Winx has drawn the outside of the three horse field with the Darren Weir trained Black Heart Bart coming up with the rails while Lindsay Park’s He Or She will be sandwiched in between the multiple Group 1 winning pair.

The Chris Waller trained Winx hasn’t been defeated since winning the Group 3 $125,000 XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast during the 2015 Queensland Winter Carnival and has collected seven Group 1 trophies along the way.

Hugh Bowman has enjoyed being part of the Winx limelight and will be aboard the super star again on Saturday after being in the saddle in eleven of her twenty-one starts, including her seven Group 1 wins.

Winx has had two Spring Carnival appearances for wins in the Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 20 and in the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White Stakes (George Main Stakes) (1600m) at Randwick on September 17 and heads to Melbourne to defend her Cox Plate trophy which she claimed last year with an emphatic four and three quarter lengths win.

Winx currently heads the market order at $1.95 with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.

Waller took Winx to Caulfield this morning to get a feel of the track before lining up in the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday and both Waller and Bowman were happy with her work going the Melbourne way.

“Left handed she just seems to be more comfortable, she just flows,” Waller told G1X.

“She gets her shoulder into the corner and accelerates.”

Black Heart Bart with Brad Rawiller in the saddle is set to test Winx after clearing out to trounce his rivals in the Group 1 $500,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 24.

That was Black Heart Bart’s third visit to the Group 1 winner’s stall following his win in the $500,000 Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 21 and his first up Spring Carnival run when he beat Rising Romance in the $500,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 27.

He Or She chased home Black Heart Bart in the Underwood Stakes last start and with Craig Williams in the saddle again will be chasing another minor placing prizemoney cheque.

Winx is currently the $1.16 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Caulfield Stakes with Black Heart Bart marked at $5 and He Or She the outsider of the three horse field at $31.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.