Aiming for her 16th consecutive victory, the Chris Waller-trained Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) will have once again have every racegoer sitting on the edge of their seat, but Tommy Berry aboard the world champion sprinter Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) will be trying to spoil the party in Saturday's G1 George Ryder S. (1500m).
Running out of superlatives to describe Winx, it appears only a mere formality that the world's highest-rated mare will add another victory to her resume, but this is racing and sometimes not everyone has taken the time to read the script.
Having never raced at the 1500 metre distance in his 26 prior starts, Chautauqua is starting to show that as he is getting older, the sprint trips may no longer be his go. Going down narrowly last start to Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun {USA}) in the G1 Canterbury S. (1300m), who he will again meet here, Chautauqua does appear the main danger to the mare if the heavy track conditions and the distance pose no concerns.
Third in the Canterbury, Godolphin's Hauraki (Aus) (Reset {Aus}) is a likely improver over the trip and with wet form should be capable of making his presence felt late in the run.
A length winner of the G3 Liverpool City Cup first-up, McCreery (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) showed on that occasion his ability on a heavy track, and although he is unlikely to trouble his stablemate Winx, he is a good second-stringer for the Waller team, while Endless Drama (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the third runner for the Waller stable, has finished third and sixth, respectively, at his last two starts to Winx.
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