Winx heads for a well-earned break

Sunday 9 April 2017, 4:56pm

Her autumn campaign has barely finished but already plans are being made for Winx's spring.

Those plans don't take too much working out. Her path to a third Cox PIate will pretty much mirror the preparation leading to her second.

Winx gave her fans what they expected with her four wins so far this year culminating in Saturday's $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes, her 17th victory in a row and 12th at Group One level.

Last spring, Winx missed a scheduled run in the Chelmsford Stakes because trainer Chris Waller though the heavy track would be too testing and could jeopardise her Group One targets.

In an unprecedented wet March, Waller learned she can handle the wet tracks just fine as she did in the Chipping Norton and George Ryder Stakes.

"I always blamed the wet track for her defeat in the Oaks," Waller said.

"And it was definitely a concern this time but she has handled them well."

The 2015 Australian Oaks was the last time Winx was beaten when she ran second to Gust Of Wind.

A man of systems, Waller will work back from the Cox Plate to determine her spring program and although Sydney's newest race, The Everest (1200m), is not in his thoughts, the possibility of the Craven Plate (2000m) on the same day has appeal.

The Group Three race over 2000 metres is mooted to be moved to October 14 from its traditional first weekend of the month.

"I have heard that so it does come into the picture," Waller said.

But for now the mare will have a few days in her stable before a couple of weeks in a paddock enjoying the grass.

Her next door neighbour in the Waller stable, Foxplay, has earned the moniker Winx Junior and she played her part on Saturday when she beat the older mares in the Group One Coolmore Legacy.

"She is probably a bit ahead of Winx in terms of results at the same stage of their careers," Waller said.

The trainer said Who Shot Thebarman, who fell in Saturday's Sydney Cup which was later determined a no-race, had come through the ordeal surprisingly well.

The race was abandoned when the stricken Almoonqith lay on the track after suffering a catastrophic leg injury.

Racing officials will meet to discuss rescheduling the Group One staying feature.

– AAP

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