Super star mare Winx breezed through her final hit out for the Group 1 $500,000 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Winx, above, is in top order for the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Winx, above, is in top order for the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Chris Waller trained Winx was held down to three-quarter pace by Hugh Bowman on the steeple grass at Flemington this morning and both jockey and trainer were delighted with the work out.

“To my eye, she’s in great form,” Waller told a news conference at the track.

“Her work’s been good, highlighted on Monday morning by a sharp piece of work, so therefore this morning she didn’t need to do a lot. (It was) a pretty relaxed workout at what we called three-quarter pace.

“Hugh was happy, I was happy, the strapper’s happy and I couldn’t change anything.”

Today’s work capped off the week for Winx who produced a stirring gallop with Bowman in the saddle on the Flemington course proper on Monday morning.

Winx has returned to Melbourne for the third year in a row with a third win in the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 28 her main 2017 Spring Carnival goal.

“There’s obviously a bit of expectation from the people in Melbourne to see her racing,” Waller said.

“I often get criticised for not bringing her down a bit more often but I’m really happy with the way her career’s gone and really looking forward to her next stage, which I guess you could say is the twilight of her career.

“We’re here for our third year and we’re very proud to be here.

“Everything’s gone to plan and that certainly makes the coach feel a lot better.”

Bowman said that Winx felt in top order in her chase of her twenty-first successive win in the Turnbull Stakes and that he actually thinks the mare goes better the Melbourne way of as compared with the opposite way in Sydney.

“In my opinion she actually prefers leading with her Melbourne leg – her near-side,” Bowman said.

“She just seems to be more comfortable going through her gears when she’s leading through her near-side.”

Winx has kept her winning momentum going with three wins at Randwick during the 2017 Spring Carnival in the Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m), in the Group 2 $250,000 Tattersalls Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) and in the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White Stakes (George Main Stakes) (1600m).

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.