Winx firms in Waller-dominated Chipping Norton Stakes field
CHRIS Waller-trained superstar Winx has been crunched even further in the betting market for the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes after drawing barrier four.
Winx currently sits on the $1.12 quote at Ladbrokes.com.au to make it 15 straight victories and add a 10th group one crown to its already-impressive swag of wins.
It looks to be Waller’s race to lose this Saturday at Randwick.
The trainer takes in six runners in the 10 horse field, including former BMW Stakes winner Preferment ($126 at Crownbet.com.au), Melbourne Cup place getter Who Shot The Barman ($201 at WilliamHill.com.au) and Apollo Stakes surprise packet Endless Drama ($16 at Sportsbet.com.au).
Take out Waller 6 runners in Chipping Norton would be field of 4 ?
— Andrew Price ?? (@pricey43) February 21, 2017
Longshots Libran ($61 at Crownbet.com.au) and Grand Marshall ($301 at Crownbet.com.au) round out the Waller elects in Saturday’s feature.
O’Shea expecting Winx to win Chipping Norton
Godolphin trainer John O’Shea is still harbouring ambitions of ending Winx’s glittering 14 race winning run, but he is not backing Saturday as the day the streak ends.
Old sparring partners Winx and Hartnell meet in their third consecutive group one showdown, and if all goes according to the script the Waller-trained mare should make it three from three against the English import.
Hartnell is second up on Saturday where it has experienced success in the past. Last year the six-year-old took out the Group Two Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick in its follow up run that preparation.
Even though the horse’s second up form is sound, O’Shea said the priority is getting Hartnell in peak physical condition for the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes in just under two months’ time.
“In view of the fact that it’s two weeks between runs, he’s probably carrying a little more condition than we would normally have on him, which is an intention thing that will ideally get him to the Queen Elizabeth spot on,” O’Shea said.
“We just want him to have a good, positive day and hit the line hard and when he gets to the Ranvet in three weeks and moves up to 10 furlongs at Rosehill I’m sure he’ll be very effective.”
Hartnell, which will jump from barrier 10 after an unfavourable draw, will be piloted by Brenton Avdulla, but O’Shea is willing to concede that Saturday might not be the ideal race to topple the mighty-mare Winx.
“The outside barrier is not ideal because we’ll have to drag back and there’ll be a lot of slow ones in front of us,” O’Shea said.
Sportsbet opens specialty Winx markets
Having more than half the field in the race has led Sportsbet.com.au to open a trifecta market on the Chipping Norton Stakes.
Sportsbet has opened a trifecta market on Winx finishing first, and any of Waller’s other runners to round out the placings on Saturday. Punters can get $34 on their investment.
Do you think the records are set to tumble at Randwick on Saturday? Put your money where your mouth is.
Sportsbet is offering $5 for Winx to break the 1600m track record set by Ike’s Dream back in 2004.
Or is punting on jockey Hugh Bowman more your speed? Sportsbet also has you covered there.
She’s Apples!
Hugh Bowman salutes the crowd after winning his first #CoxPlate aboard Winx.#OwnTheMoment pic.twitter.com/7mrI5Y97ig
— William Hill Aus (@WillHillAus) October 24, 2015
If you think Bowman will bust out his patented ‘She’s Apples’ hand sign before the winning post aboard Winx on Saturday you can get $2.50 on your investment.