The reappearance of Winx for the 2017 Autumn Carnival has been postponed until next Monday after the Apollo Stakes meeting at Randwick on Saturday has been postponed because of the extreme heatwave conditions.
The reappearance of Winx, above, has been postponed until Monday because of the extreme heat. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Bureau Of Meteorology has forecast a scorching 39 degrees for Saturday and Racing New South Wales had already implemented their Hot Weather Policy but following further information the Racing NSW Chief Executive, Mr Peter V’landys announced late on Friday afternoon that the meeting would be transferred to Monday.
“We have been in communication with the Bureau of Meteorology, who were extremely helpful with providing the most up to date and accurate predictions as to the likely conditions tomorrow,” Mr Peter V’landys AM said.
“Racing NSW and the ATC believed that animal welfare and the welfare of the participants should be the only consideration when making this decision.”
ATC Chief Executive, Mr Darren Pearce said: “The ATC want to ensure that horses’ preparation for the Autumn Carnival are not affected and, accordingly, the meeting will be programmed for Monday, 13 February 2017.”
Winx was set to kick off her 2017 Autumn Carnival in the Group 2 $250,000 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday but her followers will now have to wait until Monday to see the glamour mare set hoof on the race course again.
Trainer Chris Waller said that Winx has had a faultless preparation in the lead up to the Apollo Stakes and will now have to have an extra gallop on Saturday morning before she kicks off her four run Autumn campaign which will climax with the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 8, day two of ‘The Championships’.
In between the Apollo Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Winx is scheduled to run in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 25 and the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 18.
“She is going very well. Can’t fault her at all. Her prep has gone perfectly well. Hugh Bowman was happy with her this morning (Thursday) in her final piece of fast work,” Waller said.
“She has drawn gate three. She should just give herself a nice run.”
“It is always a little bit of a concern wondering how they have come back. Everything we look at has pleased me, I would not have changed anything in her prep so far and she is in for another good preparation here.”
Regular rider Hugh Bowman is back in the saddle again on the new darling of the Australian Turf who will jump from gate two after drawing three in the original draw before Savvy Nature and Global Glamour were scratched.
Winx is currently available at 2017 Apollo Stakes odds of $1.14 with Ladbrokes and she is a dominant favourite from Hartnell at $9.50 and Dibayani at $20.
