George Main Stakes 2016: No long faces if Winx loses

Winx

While her winning streak creates pressure and expectation, Chris Waller will not panic in the unlikely event of Winx getting beaten.

As she attempts to stretch her unbeaten run to 11 in Saturday’s Group One George Main Stakes at Randwick, her trainer says defeat will not equal disaster.

“We won’t be walking around with long faces if she does get beaten at some stage soon,” Waller said.

“We’ll be there ready to back her up again in the next race.”

Few give credence to the idea of a Winx defeat including bookmakers who rate her $1.15 to continue her winning ways.

If they are right Winx will equal Kingston Town’s 11-race winning streak, close within one of Tulloch’s 12 straight victories and be three behind Phar Lap who won 14 on the trot.

The finishing touches were put on Winx’s preparation for her first Group One race of the season at trackwork on Wednesday.

The champion mare galloped strongly over 1000 metres at Rosehill, her final hit-out before her last run in Sydney for the spring at Randwick on Saturday.

After jumping off her, jockey Hugh Bowman said he was excited about her progress since her dominant first-up win in the Warwick Stakes.

“She’s certainly tightened up since her first-up run,” Bowman said.

“She’s on track for the weekend.”

Waller elected to scratch Winx from the Chelmsford Stakes last Saturday week because of the heavy Randwick track.

Instead she trialled at Warwick Farm on Friday, cruising home to finish third.

“I thought that was a very worthwhile exercise because in the past she has been and can be a little fractious in the barriers especially when she’s feeling very well,” Bowman said.

“The fact that she’s been through the barriers since her last run for me is a real positive.”

After Saturday, Winx will travel to Melbourne for the Caulfield Stakes on October 8, her final run before her Cox Plate defence at Moonee Valley on October 22.

Japanese import Tosen Stardom and Godolphin’s Hauraki loom as Winx’s main challengers in an eight-horse field on Saturday.

Waller said while he respected the opposition, his focus would remain solely on Winx.

“If she’s right the other horses have to improve to beat her,” Waller said.

“We’ve just got make sure that she turns up the same horse that she’s been turning up in the last 10 starts.”

Winx’s stablemates Spiritjim and Vanbrugh are set to race against her while Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain has drawn barrier one inside Victorian-trained Great Esteem.

Vanbrugh and Le Romain have both been accepted for the Group Three Cameron Handicap at Newcastle on Friday.

 

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au

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