Winx in a class of her own in G2 Apollo

Saturday 13 February 2016, 5:51pm

If winning the Cox Plate with Winx was nerve-racking for trainer Chris Waller, her return in the Group Two Apollo Stakes was even more so.

But with the coolest, calmest jockey in charge at Randwick on Saturday the mare toyed with her rivals as she strolled to a one-length win over Solicit.

Hugh Bowman was not about to ask her to do anything too strenuous, guiding her past the gallant Solicit who had controlled the pace from the barriers.

"It's the most nervous I've been before a race in years," Waller said.

"It's so important because people want to see her and see her win.

"She's got the potential to be a champion. She's not there yet. She probably has to win two Cox Plates but she is exceptional.

"This will tighten her up even more for the Chipping Norton Stakes in two weeks.

"It's a Group One and that's where she has to be."

Bowman had Winx ($1.60) running fifth from barrier one while Solicit ($5.50) rolled along in front before he changed gears.

"I put her in gear and up she went," Bowman said.

"She is a special horse and she has done a good job.

"She just had to go out and do it and she did.

"It's self explanatory really.

Solicit was the only other runner in the Apollo under double figures and beat the third-placed Hauraki ($41) by 2-3/4 lengths.

"She relaxed well," jockey Kerrin McEvoy said.

"She was rolling along in a rhythm and she stuck to it. She is in for nice prep and there's a good race for her."

Waller and Winx's owners have yet to confirm where she goes after the Chipping Norton Stakes with $4 million Queen Elizabeth (2000m) the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

"That's what we are aiming at but how we get there remains to be seen.

"The Doncaster is still there as are a couple of other races.

"We'll get through the Chipping Norton and decide."

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »