Eight Looking Great for Winx in George Ryder

Cutting back slightly in distance from her last-out defeat of G1 Ranvet S. hopeful Dibayani (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Chipping Norton S. Feb. 27, Australia's standout galloper Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) will go in search of an eighth consecutive victory in Saturday's G1 China Horse Club George Ryder S. at Randwick.

The 4-year-old filly, winner of 10 of her 14 career trips postward, was simply superb in thrashing Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}) and 12 other tough weight-for-age rivals in last year's G1 Cox Plate Oct. 24 before getting a much-deserved break. Given a couple of easy barrier trials over this track and Randwick in January, the bay resumed with a soft one-length victory in the G2 Apollo S. Feb. 13 at the latter venue and was recording her fourth Group 1 success with an on-the-bridle victory in the Chipping Norton.

The biggest threat to Winx could come from within her own stable in the form of the 3-year-old Press Statement (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}). One of two horses in the race for the title sponsor–and partners–the bay, winner at two of the G1 J J Atkins S. in Brisbane, was the easy winner of the G2 Stan Fox S. last September before leading throughout to annex the G1 Caulfield Guineas by 1 3/4 lengths the following month. He returned from a layoff to best Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun) in the G2 Hobartville S. here Feb. 20, but was rolled by that rival when favored at 3-10 in the G1 Randwick Guineas Mar. 5.

First Seal (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) also carries the colors of the China Horse Club as she looks for her first Group 1 success since defeating Winx by three lengths in the G1 Coolmore Flight S. in October 2014. Away from the races for 10 months, First Seal returned with a cozy success in the G2 Millie Fox S. at Rosehill Feb. 20, but was most recently upset when second as the favorite in Randwick's G1 Canterbury S. Mar. 5.

Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), winner of last year's G1 Emirates S., tired to be fourth after setting the pace in the G1 C.F. Orr S. Feb. 13, but moved forward off that effort to post a 3/4-length tally in the G1 Futurity S. in Melbourne Feb. 27.