Winx ‘Ready to go’: Waller

Superstar mare Winx is ‘Ready To Go’ premiership winning trainer Chris Waller declared following her final gallop before lining up in the Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Winx, above, is 'Ready To Go' when she resumes in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Winx, above, is ‘Ready To Go’ when she resumes in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Winx is set to record her tenth win on the trot when she kicks off her 2016 Spring Carnival campaign in a small weight for age field on the weekend.

The Street Cry mare will be having her first run back since winning the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 2 and has pleased the stable with two Randwick barrier trials in preparation for her return to the race track.

Regular rider Hugh Bowman put Winx through her final paces on the course proper at Rosehill on Tuesday morning and both him and Waller were happy with the result.

“Winx worked well this morning (Tuesday) and Hugh was very happy with her,” Waller told AAP after her hit out on Tuesday morning..

“She is ready to go and I’m happy with the others too.”

Waller looks likely to saddle up half the field in Warwick Stakes and as well as Winx, stayers Who Shot Thebarman and Grand Marshall and 2015 Group 1 Champion Stakes winner Vanburgh are among the nominations.

Bowman has been aboard Winx in seven of her last nine starts, all winning rides, and will be aboard again in the Warwick Stakes.

Among Winx’s nine straight wins was the 2015 Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley and Australia’s new favourite race horse will be targeting the ‘Weight For Age Championship Of Australasia’ again this Spring.

But Winx’s imminent return to the race track hasn’t been without controversy after Waller informed Racing New South Wales stewards that the glamour mare had undergone surgery on her near fore fetlock on April 11 to remove a bone chip.

The news came as a shock to the stewards and the general public but Waller insists that he told the authorities of the operation at the appropriate time.

Winx has shown no ill effects from the surgery and Waller has been pleased with her two barrier trials in preparation for her return to the race track as she kicks off another Cox Plate campaign.

The Street Cry mare finished fourth in two 850m Randwick barrier trials on July 29 and August 9 with Bowman in the saddle on both occasions.

Winx’s has been installed the short priced $1.40 favourite for the Warwick Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au with Lucia Valentina on the second line of betting at $4.80.

Early Warwick Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.40 Winx, $4.80 Lucia Valentina, $8 Rebel Dane, $10 Dibayani, $11 Hartnell, $16 Vanburgh, $81 Grand Marshall, Who Shot Thebarman.

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.