Australia’s standout Group One perfomers for 2017
TOP AUSTRALIAN GROUP ONE WINNERS 2017
Horses
Six wins
- Winx (Chipping Norton Stakes, George Ryder Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, George Main Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate)
Two wins
- Black Heart Bart (CF Orr Stakes, Futurity Stakes)
- Hey Doc (Australian Guineas, Manikato Stakes)
- She Will Reign (Golden Slipper, Moir Stakes)
- Bonneval (Underwood Stakes, Australian Oaks)
- Egg Tart (Australasian Oaks, Queensland Oaks)
- Vega Magic (The Goodwood, Memsie Stakes)
- Humidor (Makybe Diva Stakes, Australian Cup)
- Ace High (Spring Champion, Victoria Derby)
- Tosen Stardom (Toorak Handicap, Mackinnon Stakes)
- Redzel (Doomben 10,000, Darley Classic)
Trainers
10 wins
- Chris Waller (six from Winx, two from Egg Tart, Foxplay, Shillelagh)
On Winx:
“She’s Winx and she finds a way to win like all champions do.”
“She’s unbeaten for almost three years now and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t go to bed at night thinking of her record.”
“This morning when I saw her she was picture perfect, and that’s when the pressure stopped.”
Eight wins
- Darren Weir (two from Black Heart Bart, two from Humidor, two from Tosen Stardom, Volatile Mix, Gailo Chop)
Weir on Tosen Stardom after the horse won the Toorak Handicap:
“He’s such a talented horse that’s been plagued by problems and he’s got this amazing pedigree to back it up.”
“So it’s important that he’s a Group One winner now.”
Six wins
- David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig (two from Vega Magic, Catchy, Sheidel, Redkirk Warrior, Boom Time)
Jockeys
12 wins
- Hugh Bowman (six on Winx, two on Bonneval, Jameka, Invader, Clearly Innocent, Ruthven)
Bowman praised Winx after she won a record-equalling third Cox Plate, which was also their 22nd consecutive victory together.
“We are in the presence of greatness,” he said.
“She’ll be recognised as one of the greatest horses to grace the Australian turf.”
Seven wins
- Kerrin McEvoy – (two on Egg Tart, Our Ivanhowe, Russian Revolution, Foxplay, Tycoon Tara, She Will Reign)
On Egg Tart: “Egg Tart is a fantastic filly. She had a turn of foot to get me out of trouble after we got caught behind some slow ones.”
Six wins
- Damian Lane (two on Humidor, two wins on Tosen Stardom, Jon Snow, The Mission)
Lane on Jon Snow before the $2.1 million Australian Derby:
“He’s got a lot of talent. There’s a lot of good form out of the New Zealand Derby. He couldn’t have impressed me any more,” he said.
“As we know most of them (New Zealand horses) handle the wet track and they are always rock-hard fit so it takes them a long way.”