Australia’s new glamour mare Winx is back in pre-training at a secret New South Wales location preparing to defend her Cox Plate crown.
Glamour mare Winx is back in training preparing to defend her Cox Plate Crown. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival was one of Winx’s nine consecutive wins that she strung together since winning the Group 3 $125,000 XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast twelve months ago during the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.
Part owner Debbie Kepitis told G1X.com.au that the multiple Group 1 winning mare will be back in Chris Waller’s stable in a month or so but at the moment she is enjoying some light work.
“She had a nice break. She’s started back quite easily – just doing easy trotting,” Kepitis told G1X.com.au.
“Chris will step her work up as time goes on and she’ll be back in the stables in the next month,”
“She’s just doing easy work at the moment, but it is exciting.”
“It’s been lovely to give her the time out and for her to have a good rest.
“Her aim at the moment is the Cox Plate.”
Winx looked world class when she demoralised the Cox Plate field with her four and three quarter lengths victory over Criterion and in so doing earned a brief let up before she started her Autumn Carnival campaign.
Winx kicked off her Autumn with a win in the Group 2 $250,000 Optus Business Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 13 and continued on her winning way with a victory in the Group 1 $600,000 Precise Air Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 27.
The glamour mare then wrapped up her Autumn campaign with wins in the Group 1 $1m China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 19 and in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on day one of ‘The Championships’ on April 2.
Kepitis said that Winx’s Spring Carnival program leading up to the 2016 Cox Plate hasn’t been finalised yet, but Waller will start to map out a path once she gets well into her preparation.
“Chris has muted that it more than likely be a race in Sydney, but until she comes back into the stable, we’re not one hundred percent certain,” Kepitis said.
Early Cox Plate betting at Ladbrokes.com.au has Winx marked as a $3.30 chance to retain her title as the number one weight for age galloper in the country.
