Cox Plate winner Winx is a dominant odds on favourite for the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Cox Plate winner Winx is the odds on favourite for the Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller also nominated Winx for the Group 3 $150,000 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) at Randwick but indicated that the glamour mare would run in the Chipping Norton Stakes, with stablemate Amicus running against the mares.
“She will start in the Chipping Norton with Amicus to run in the Guy Walter,” Waller said.
Bookmakers at Ladbrokes.com.au has installed Winx as the $1.55 favourite for the Chipping Norton Stakes, well clear of the second pick Hartnell at $6.00.
Winx resumed from a spell with an effortless win in the Group 2 $250,000 Optus Business Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 13, taking her winning sequence to six on the trot.
A her previous start the Street Cry mare scored a runaway four and three quarter lengths win over Criterion in the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
The Cox Plate win was Winx’s third Group 1 victory after she claimed the trophy in the $500,000 Treasury Casino & Hotel Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival followed by a win in the Group 1 $1m The Star 150th Epsom (1600m) at Randwick on October 3.
Leading Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman has established a great association with the glamour mare, including her three Group 1 wins and was aboard again for her first up win in the Apollo Stakes.
Bowman has reported that Winx has pulled up in great order and he is looking forward to Saturday’s Chipping Norton Stakes.
“It’s taken that edge off her – she’s much more relaxed than she was when I worked her in the week leading up to the Apollo,” Bowman told Racing Ahead on RSN.
“She’s ticking over nicely, and in good shape.”
Waller is certain to have multiple runners in the Chipping Norton Stakes with Boban, Preferment, Who Shot Thebarman, Storm The Stars, and Grand Marshal also entered for the weight for age Group 1.
Early market order for the Chipping Norton Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.55 Winx, $6 Hartnell, $9 Boban, $13 Mongolian Khan, $15 Hauraki, $17 Dibayani, $21 Bull Point, Storm The Stars, $31 Magic Hurricane, $51 Preferment $67 Centre Pivot, $81 Messene, $101 Grand Marshall, Gust Of Wind, Who Shot Thebarman.
