Premiership winning trainer Chris Waller has a great chance to win his fifth straight Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday when he saddles up four of the ten starters.

Verry Elleegant, above, is one of four runners for the trainer Chris Waller in the 2019 Winx Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Verry Elleegant, above, is one of four runners for the trainer Chris Waller in the 2019 Winx Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Kings Will Dream, Unforgotten, Youngstar and Verry Elleegant will all line up in the weight for age race named in honour of his champion mare Winx  who won the race three times, twice when it was called the Warwick Stakes (2016 & 2017) and once when it was called the Winx Stakes (2018) while Waller also saddled up 2015 winner Royal Descent.

Kings Will Dream will be having his first run for the Waller stable and has drawn barrier two in the ten horse Winx Stakes field with Jason Collett taking the mount.

Waller’s three Oaks winners have drawn across the board with Verry Elleegant (James McDonald) drawing alongside of Kings Will Dream at three, Unforgotten (Brenton Avdulla) coming up with barrier seven while Youngstar (Tommy Berry) will jump from the outside gate.

James McDonald sticks with Verry Elleegant after the pair combined for a hat trick of wins during the 2019 Autumn Carnival and culminated with a victory in the Group 1 $1m Heineken 3 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Day Tow of The Championships on April 13.

McDonald has also been aboard the new season four year old mare in her two recent barrier trials and was happy with her hit out at Rosehill on Tuesday morning.

“James McDonald was aboard and gave me the thumbs up post work,” Waller told Sky Racing.

“I am really happy with where she is at. The only difference is that she is a bit stronger, wouldn’t say she has gone overboard, didn’t put on lots and lots of weight, but she certainly looks bigger and stronger.”

James Cummings will saddle up two runners in the Winx Stakes, Avilius who has drawn barrier eight with Kerrin McEvoy aboard and Best Of Days with Nash Rawiller from gate six.

Kris Lees will also have two starters with Invincible Gem and Le Romain drawing at the opposite ends of the starting gates.

Invincible Gem came up with the rails draw for with Rachel King booked to ride while Le Romain will jump from barrier nine with Glen Boss holding the reins.

Hugh Bowman takes the ride on Happy Clapper (barrier 5) and the champion jockey will be trying to win the race for the fifth consecutive year after taking the honours in 2015 on Royal Descent before scoring a hat trick of wins with Winx.

Final field for the 2019 Winx Stakes (1400m)

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 140x11511x AVILIUS (GB) James Cummings Kerrin McEvoy 8 59kg 118
2 3x75x2284x HAPPY CLAPPER Patrick Webster Hugh Bowman 5 59kg 117
3 42x28496x3 LE ROMAIN Kris Lees Glen Boss 9 59kg 113
4 713211x5Nx BEST OF DAYS (GB) James Cummings Nash Rawiller 6 59kg 108
5 11x43236Px KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) Chris Waller Jason Collett 2 59kg 105
6 151241915x SAMADOUBT Bjorn Baker Tim Clark 4 59kg 97
7 45x73810x2 INVINCIBLE GEM Kris Lees Rachel King 1 57kg 108
8 138x53403x UNFORGOTTEN Chris Waller Brenton Avdulla 7 57kg 107
9 63276x059x YOUNGSTAR Chris Waller Tommy Berry 10 57kg 107
10 3157x2111x VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) Chris Waller James McDonald 3 56.5kg 106

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.