Eight rivals have been confirmed for Winx in her first-up appearance in Saturday’s Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick but unsurprisingly, the champion mare is set to jump a resounding odds-on favourite. Winx has won each of her twenty-two most recent starts, dating back to the 2015 Winter Carnival and dominant triumph in the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) and she is currently available at $1.10 to win the Chipping Norton Stakes, or $1.12 in the Neds market. Stable mate Foxplay came within strides of delivering Winx her first defeat for more than two years in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) first-up in spring, but the daughter of Street Cry dug deep late to win the race at the death. Likewise second-up, the equine superstar’s incredible winning run appeared to be over when Red Excitement opened a huge gap on the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), but she mustered a typically slick turn of foot to run the noted stayer down in the final strides of the race. She was outstanding in both the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) and Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), before further etching her name into the history books by becoming only the second horse to post three-consecutive wins in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m). Her record speaks for itself, she is the world’s best racehorse on turf and Winx will probably just win the Chipping Norton Stakes on Saturday afternoon. Prized Icon has continued to receive a steady flow of support in our Chipping Norton Stakes market and is currently available at odds of $14. The multiple Group 1 winner has won at the course and distance and at the highest level previously and looms as the obvious horse to include in an exacta or quinella with Winx. Prized Icon ended his two-year-old campaign with a smart win in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m), but returned an even more furnished horse at three and won the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) most notably. Sent off a $31 chance in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) first-up this time, the son of More Than Ready produced an impressive turn of foot to finish a close second behind Lanciato. The horse has since hit the line well for fourth in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) and will be rock-hard fit for his run in the Chipping Norton Stakes. Stampede currently occupies the third line of Chipping Norton Stakes betting and is available at odds of $21. Stampede found career-best form in 2017 and won both the Listed Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) and Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) most notably, as well as producing a strong performance for third in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m). The High Chaparral entire typically comes to hand quickly and is sure to take plenty of benefit from his first-up run for sixth in the Apollo Stakes. The remainder of the Chipping Norton Stakes field is available at monster odds, all the way down to Group 1 winner and last year’s runner-up to Winx in this race, Lasqueti Spirit ($201).

Saturday's feature race on the Sunshine Coast has been ranamed in Winx's honour. Photo: Steve Hart