WINX WONDERFUL AT RAINY ROSEHILL
Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) had displayed her ability to handle heavy going three weeks ago when defending her title in Randwick's G1 Chipping Norton S., and as the rain persisted in Sydney on Saturday the off going proved yet again to be no inconvenience to the great mare, as she defended another title when crushing her G1 George Ryder S. opposition by 7 1/4 lengths. Breaking last in the field of nine in the A$1-million contest, Winx made up a few lengths to sit fourth in the three path down the backstretch with her main market rival, the champion sprinter Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), a length back on the fence. Cruising into contention on the outside as they came off the bend, Winx was full of run under Hugh Bowman at the top of the stretch. She waltzed to the lead under her motionless rider at the 250 metre mark and widened her advantage to win by an effortless 7 1/4 lengths from last-out G1 Canterbury S. winner Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun), who had stalked the pace throughout, with Chautauqua getting up for third.
Saturday, Rosehill, Australia
GEORGE RYDER S.-G1, A$987,000, ATC, 3-18, 3yo/up, Open Weight For Age, 1500mT, 1:34.87, Heavy.
1–WINX, 57.0, m, 5, by Street Cry (IRE)
1st Dam: Vegas Showgirl (NZ) (MSW & GSP-NZ, SW-Aus, NZ$172,062), by Al Akbar
2nd Dam: Vegas Magic, by Voodoo Rhythm (USA)
3rd Dam: Vegas Street (NZ), by Sovereign Edition (IRE)
(A$230,000 Ylg 2013 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale) O-Magic
Bloodstock Racing (Mgr: P G Tighe), R G Treweeke & Mrs D N
Kepitis; B-Fairway Thoroughbreds NSW; T-C J Waller; J-J
Bowman; A$592,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year, Ch.
Older Female & Ch. Middle Distance Horse & MG1SW-Aus,
26-20-3-0, A$10,438,925. *1/2 to El Divino (Aus) (Snitzel
{Aus}), GSW-Aus, A$160,860. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Le Romain, 59.0, g, 4, Hard Spun (USA)–Mignard, by
Strategic. O-A Carusi, A P Agius, L Nicaj, A Labbozzetta, G
Serratore, J Altamura, Miss M Bilusic & Mrs S Livaja; B-Mr A
Carusi NSW; T-K A Lees; J-G Schofield; A$190,000.
3–Chautauqua, 59.0, g, 6, Encosta de Lago–Lovely Jubly, by Lion
Hunter. O-R & C Legh Racing (Mgrs: R & Mrs C Legh), G P I
Racing (Mgr: G Ingham), Gurners Bloodstock (Mgr: M A
Ramsden), G Pulitano, S W Kay, Ms M A Keating, Wright Racing
(Mgrs: P & R Wrigh; B-Woodbury Pty Ltd NSW; T-M, W & J
Hawkes; J-Tommy Berry; A$100,000.
Margins: 7.3 len, 8.6 len, 10.5 len. Odds: 0.26, 9.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Leebaz (NZ), McCreery (GB), Sylpheed, Hauraki.
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
Winx's George Ryder title defense marked her 16th straight victory, a streak that began in May of 2015 and has encompassed 11 Group 1 wins, including two editions of the Cox Plate as well as the Epsom H. and the Doncaster Mile. After wrapping up her spring campaign with a stunning eight-length score in the Cox Plate over yesterday's G1 Ranvet S.-second Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), Winx resumed with a score over that same rival in the G2 Apollo S. Feb. 13 and, in a carbon copy thus far of last year's autumn campaign, she won the G1 Chipping Norton S. on Feb. 25 en route to her George Ryder score. Winx, who surpassed the A$10-million mark in earnings with her George Ryder win, is now scheduled to depart from last year's plan, as she will take in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. on the second day of The Championships on Apr. 8 rather than go for back-to-back Doncasters.
“Unbelievable, just unbelievable,” trainer Chris Waller told racenet.com.au. “I just can't explain the feelings and emotions whenever she races. The responsibility that comes with training her is something I've never experienced before. It's something we take very seriously and that's why she's running today or she would have been scratched. Simple as that.”
“I feel like she is in the prime of her career,” Bowman added. “I expected more tempo early but I knew on the way to the barriers she meant business today.”
Pedigree Notes…
Winx is the second foal out of the stakes-winning 2-year-old Vegas Showgirl, who has proven to be a blue hen producer for John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds. Not only is she responsible for Winx, but her current 3-year-old is 'TDN Rising Star' El Divino (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who dead-heated for the win in last year's G3 Kindergarten S. at The Championships. The week after both Winx and El Divino won at The Championships, Vegas Showgirl's yearling Snitzel colt topped the Inglis Easter sale with a bid of A$2.3-million from trainer Gai Waterhouse. Vegas Showgirl was barren in 2015, and produced a filly by Snitzel at Segenhoe Stud last season. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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