We’re all privileged to see Winx – Hamish McLachlan
CHANNEL 7 sports commentator Hamish McLachlan believes we may never see another horse draw as much attention as Winx ahead of its record-equaling Cox Plate attempt at Moonee Valley.
A sell-out crowd was announced almost a week in advance of Saturday’s race day, and a large portion of the crowd is adorned in the blue silks of the Chris Waller-trained wondermare.
The Channel 7 personality said he can only think of one other horse that has captured the public’s imagination quite like Winx.
“Black Caviar for me was the only thing I could liken to this,” McLachlan told HorseBetting.com.au from just outside Winx’s stall at Moonee Valley.
“She’s owned by a select few, but I reckon everyone feels very connected to her.
“People have been lining up to get a photo and to see her for I reckon what could be two hours. Everyone knew she was getting here at 2pm, or just before and they’ve been here since midday.
“It’s remarkable, she’s got all the hardened punters wanting her to win and all those who don’t really like watching racing watching it.
“It’s unbelievable.”
The Cox Plate has been Winx’s race for the last two years, and if the six-year-old can complete the hat-trick, it will sit alongside Kingston Town as the only horse’s in the race’s history to taste success in the race three times.
It’s uncertain as to whether 2017 will be Winx’s Moonee Valley swan song, but McLachlan believes it will be akin to seeing a superstar of the tennis court not taking to the London grass.
“It’s a bit like Wimbledon without Federer isn’t it?” he said.
“We’ve had Makybe everywhere, then we had Black Caviar everywhere and now it’s Winx everywhere.”
The sports commentator believes the crowd is prominently here to see Winx, and the only way to emulate these scenes would be to entice the Waller team to bring the mare back for one more tilt.
“Will the Cox Plate be as big next year? Only if she’s coming back for a fourth.
“She’s six now, I think they’ve got a plan to have a campaign overseas next year. If she does that I can’t imagine she’d be racing this time next year, but is she racing any better?
“Everything Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman ask her to do is phenomenal, and she does it without any fanfare or fuss.”
Whatever happens in the future, McLachlan believes we are currently in the presence of what could be the greatest-ever racehorse.
“We’re privileged to be seeing her as a six-year-old, she could be breeding at seven, eight or nine, so if they race her as a seven-year-old, who knows? I hope they do.
“You only get these once-in-a-lifetime mares once in your lifetime, sometimes not at all.”