By Alan Carasso
Two of Australia's best horses, the world's top-rated turf runner Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), tied for top honours as the best sprinter on either surface, were each out for Tuesday morning barrier trials at Rosehill as they prepare to make their respective first starts of a new preparation.
Winx, the owner of a 13-race winning streak dating all the way back to May 2015, went postward in the day's first heat over 1000m and raced in last position for the opening furlong and a half or so before tugging her regular partner Hugh Bowman up into midfield down the side of the track. With her rider tall in the saddle, Winx was steered out about five paths from the dogs and was under no encouragement whatsoever in the stretch to finish third behind the Group 3-winning sprinter Nancy (Aus) (Big Brown) (video). Last seen successfully and emphatically defending her title in the G1 William Hill Cox Plate last October, Winx is expected to stage her reappearance in Randwick's G2 Apollo S. (1400m) Feb. 11.
Chautauqua went on a Group 1 tear 12 months ago, winning the Lightning S. and a second consecutive T J Smith S. at home and the Chairman's Sprint Prize in Hong Kong. The popular gray returned to the trials for the first time Tuesday since a pair of subpar efforts in the G1 Moir S. and G1 Manikato S., and gave a good account of himself when third, finishing 1 1/2 lengths of top 3-year-old sprinter and stablemate Star Turn (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}) (video).
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