Winx will make her much-anticipated return to the races in the 2017 Warwick Stakes at Royal Randwick this afternoon and trainer Chris Waller is happy with the condition of his star mare.

Winx is set to extend her winning streak in the 2017 Warwick Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart

Winx is set to extend her winning streak in the 2017 Warwick Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart

Winx has looked a picture of health ahead of her 2017 Spring Racing Carnival preparation and she won a barrier trial at Royal Randwick on August 8, but Waller told Sky Racing HQ this morning that he won’t know exactly where the daughter of Street Cry is at until she runs in the Warwick Stakes.

“The first-up run tells you exactly where they are,” Waller said.

“It doesn’t matter how they are working at home, how well they are trialing and what their condition looks like.

“When they have their first round you get a pretty good idea of whether you have got it right, where she it at and what you need to do for the rest of the preparation.

“I am really looking forward to it and just making sure that everything is in order.”

Winx will take on only seven rivals in the Warwick Stakes, but there does look to be a fair amount of speed in the race as Ecuador and Red Excitement will both press forward.

Waller said that Winx has shown plenty of tactical versatility during her racing career to date and he is more than happy to leave the Warwick Stakes tactics up to jockey Hugh Bowman.

“I will leave it to Hugh – it is as simple as that,” Waller said.

“She is pretty versatile – she has run in big fields, three horse fields, bad draws and slow getaways.

“Hugh just likes to leave it to how she feels and where she wants to be basically.

“He will have a basic plan as well to back that up.”

Winx is currently available at 2017 Warwick Stakes odds of $1.08, but leading online bookmaker Ladbrokes have $2 available for Winx to run first or second in the Warwick Stakes!

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.