Winx plus ten other horses in 2017 George Ryder Nominations

Super mare Winx plus ten other horses are among the nominations for the 2017 Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Winx, above, heads up the nominations for the 2017 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Winx, above, heads up the nominations for the 2017 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Chris Waller trained Winx is chasing her sixteenth win on the trot and her eleventh Group 1 victory as she lines up for her third outing in her current Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign.

Winx kicked off Autumn with an effortless win in the Group 2 $250,000 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 13 and then repeated that effort with a two lengths win over Lasqueti Spirit in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 25 on a heavy track.

The Street Cry mare looks like having to go through the mud again this week with a lot of rain forecast for the Sydney area for the rest of the week.

Waller has also nominated Endless Drama and last start Liverpool City Cup winner McCreery for the George Ryder Stakes.

Trainer Darren Weir has nominated his stable star Black Heart Bart who is coming a Caulfield Group 1 double after winning the $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 11 followed by the $500,000 italktravel Futurity Stakes (1400m) a fortnight later.

Weir has also nominated Tosen Stardom for the George Ryder Stakes and the Japanese import ran a mighty race when a nose second to Black Heart Bart in the Futurity Stakes.

Team Hawkes will stick to their new plan of stepping their number one sprinter Chautauqua up in distance and have entered him in the George Ryder Stakes to take on the super mare Winx.

Chautauqua has had two runs back in the Autumn for a first up third Super Cash in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 11 followed by a second to Le Romain on a heavy track in the Group 1 $500,000 BMW Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on March 4.

Team Hawkes have also nominated Leebaz who was well beaten last start when last of seven in the Group 3 $150,000 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick on February 25.

The in-form Le Romain is chasing a hat trick of wins and trainer Kris Lees thinks it is time that his multiple Group 1 winner takes on the best mare in the world, Winx, in the George Ryder Stakes.

Le Roman kicked off his Autumn Carnival campaign with a win in the Group 3 $150,000 The Chi-X Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 13 and was in the winner’s circle again when he nosed out Chautauqua in the Canterbury Stakes.

Winx is at the almost unbackable odds of $1.15 at Ladbrokes.com.au for the George Ryder Stakes with Chautauqua closest to the super mare in the betting at $8 ahead of Black Heart Bart and Le Romain who are sharing the next line of betting at $12.

Early market order for the George Ryder Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.15 Winx, $8 Chautauqua, $12 Black Heart Bart, Le Romain, $15 Tosen Stardom, $26 Hauraki, $31 McCreery, $61 Endless Drama, $81 Happy Clapper, $201 Leebaz, Sylpheed.

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.