Chris Waller’s champion mare Winx again proved her elite level status saluting for a 25th time on the trot to equal the winning streak of Black Caviar in Saturday’s 2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes results.
Winx made history again with a 25th win on the trot in the 2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.
The star six-year-old daughter of Street Cry was odds-on for her autumn grand final, successfully defending her title in the Group 1 $4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on Day 2 of Sydney’s ‘The Championships’.
She was superior once again, the middle-distance freak coming from last to first in as dominant a performance as you could imagine to sail past her rivals late as if they were stopped.
Winx and jockey Hugh Bowman combined in another masterpiece result, the mighty mare accelerating away late to hand her hoop and trainer Waller their individual 80th Group 1 success each.
“Just relief,” Waller said after the win.
“It’s hard to explain.
“She’s our girl, she’s our daughter, our love child.
“And it was great competition today.”
It was a moderate temp set by Darren Weir’s 2000m specialist Gailo Chop who was quick out of the gates and pressed on to take the early lead as expected.
Winx meanwhile was settled back last throughout, the equine superstar as arrogant as always with Bowman biding his time.
It was a bunched field as Gailo Chop led them around the turn, Winx getting to the outside on the straight as the front runner tried to give a kick.
Winx was quickly getting into her work 350m out from the line, moving up to take the lead and score an easy four length victory over multiple Group 1 winner Gailo Chop ($26).
In third rounding out the Queen Elizabeth Stakes trifecta was the Pat Webster-trained Happy Clapper ($12) on the quick back-up after winning last Saturday’s Doncaster Mile.
“As a child you grow up wanting fairy tales to come true and I grew up wanting to be a jockey,” Bowman, now a three-time Queen Elizabeth Stakes winning jockey, said.
“This horse is just such an exceptional individual and obviously with her comes a huge level or responsibility.
“At the end of the day I just have so much faith in her.
“I’ve just got to have her happy…have her comfortable and allow her to do her job.
“What an amazing thrill.
“She’s apples.”
After a world record 17th Group 1 success last time out in the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill, Winx returned to her pet Royal Randwick track for the Queen Elizabeth and added to her Group 1 tally making it 15 wins from 19 starts at the course.
The country’s highest-ever earning racehorse, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes success took Winx’s prize money up over $18.88 million.
With Waller earlier this autumn ruling out a trip to England for the Royal Ascot carnival, Winx is now headed to the spelling paddock.
She is tipped to return in the spring for a possible shot at a historic fourth straight victory in the Group 1 $3 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) in October.
To back Winx next race at the best price head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.
2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Randwick Race 7 – 14/04/2018
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | WINX | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | – | 10 | 57kg | $1.24F |
| 2 | 2 | GAILO CHOP (FR) | Darren Weir | Mark Zahra | 3.8L | 5 | 59kg | $26 |
| 3 | 1 | HAPPY CLAPPER | Patrick Webster | Kerrin McEvoy | 4.1L | 9 | 59kg | $11 |
| 4 | 3 | HUMIDOR (NZ) | Darren Weir | Blake Shinn | 4.9L | 1 | 59kg | $14 |
| 5 | 7 | COMIN’ THROUGH | Chris Waller | Michael Walker | 5.4L | 2 | 59kg | $51 |
| 6 | 10 | CONSENSUS (NZ) | Stephen McKee | Jason Collett | 8L | 3 | 57kg | $201 |
| 7 | 8 | ODEON (NZ) | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Damian Lane | 10.4L | 6 | 59kg | $101 |
| 8 | 4 | AMBITIOUS (JPN) | Anthony Freedman | Craig Williams | 12.2L | 7 | 59kg | $31 |
| 9 | 6 | CLASSIC UNIFORM | Gary Moore | Andrew Adkins | 16.1L | 4 | 59kg | $151 |
| 10 | 5 | SUCCESS DAYS (IRE) | Ken Condon | Joao Moreira | 18.1L | 8 | 59kg | $61 |
