Winx equals Kingston Town’s win record in George Main Stakes
CHAMPION mare Winx scored its 11th consecutive win in Saturday’s George Main Stakes at Randwick and equalled the record of the great Kingston Town.
The five-year-old missed the jump, but jockey Hugh Bowman let the champion mare settle before presenting it around the home turn. Bowman didn’t move a muscle for the most part and although the winning margin wasn’t big over last start winner Hauraki, it’s not the margin that counted according to trainer Chris Waller.
“Today’s win wasn’t a gap job, but it wasn’t intended to be either,” Waller said.
“There’s nothing like that winning feeling. We’ll let everything settle down for a few weeks and then the dream continues.”
Waller admitted handling the pressure of training Winx ($1.08 at CrownBet) has taught him a few lessons as the big Randwick crowd applauded the mare back the scale.
“It’s a huge privilege. It’s taught me a lot about the way to approach racing. She’s a fantastic horse,” Waller said.
Bowman was happy with the win, but knows there are better horses waiting in the wings so he isn’t getting carried away with the Group 1 George Main Stakes win.
“She’ll need better horses now,” Bowman said. “Only saw Hartnell win here 40 minutes ago and he put a margin on his horses.
“There’s nowhere to hide when we get to Melbourne. She’s felt the run, just looking forward to Melbourne.”
Bowman has ridden plenty of good horses throughout his career, but none like Winx and he’s just enjoying the ride it takes him on.
“Just enjoying the ride. It’s a special ride for us all involved with her,” he said. “My job is to ride her and focus on her. She’s a lovely headline act to have, but there’s plenty of other horses and I’m just trying to do my job.
“I’ll look back in years to come and appreciate what she’s done. People in this industry respect horses like this. It’s an honour to be a part of it.”
The plan hasn’t changed for Team Winx with Chris Waller stating the plan to target the Caulfield Stakes before another tilt at the Cox Plate is still the way forward.
“That’s always been the original plan,” Waller said. “You always look at other races, but it looks to fit in nicely.”
Hauraki franked its last-start win with a strong placing and stablemate It’s Somewhat finishing in third.
After Saturday’s win, Winx has firmed into $1.80 for the 2016 Cox Plate with Hartnell firming into second favouritism at $11.