Equine superstar Winx has continued her incredible racing career with another dominant win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick this afternoon; her twenty-fifth in succession.
The champion mare drifted to a quote of $1.24 leading up to jump and was settled at the tail of the field of ten after jumping from the outside barrier.
As anticipated, Gailo Chop took up the running and set a reasonable tempo in transit alongside the likes of Odeon, Kiwi raider Consensus and Classic Uniform.
Jockey Hugh Bowman steered the mare off the rails as the field approached the final bend and was towed into the race by Ambitious, who attempted to put all the pressure on Winx turning for home.
Offered a clear line on the outside of her rivals with 300m to travel, Bowman was just a passenger again as Winx easily ran down Gailo Chop and strode clear; eventually hitting the line three lengths ahead of the French import and Happy Clapper.
Bowman produced another beautiful ride aboard Winx in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the leading hoop was almost lost for words after the race.
“What can I say?” Bowman said.
“It always concerns me being on ‘good’ tracks, spotting good horses a dozen or more lengths from the thousand, but she is just an exceptional athlete and she creates so much attention.
“I’m just so elated, I’m so proud of her and proud to be a part of it. I’m lost for words.
“You don’t to dream this big, but it’s just developed. It’s like a relationship – it’s just developed and she’s just continued to blossom under Chris Waller’s management and his team.
“There’s so many cogs to the wheel. I know I’m on her and I get the dream here today, but if something went wrong, it wouldn’t be a good place to be.
“She’s so exceptional, she overcomes everything and what a pleasure she is for sport.
“Ambitious made a bit of a mid-race move, but it wasn’t to bring me undone. It was Craig riding him to his strengths, and it played into mine. I guess I just need to be aware tactically, but the bottom line is she has ten to twelve lengths on her rivals and it makes it easy.”
In winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Winx has now equalled the record set by champion sprinter Black Caviar by taking out twenty-five consecutive races.
She will now return to the paddock with a view towards winning an unprecedented fourth-consecutive Cox Plate in spring.