2018 Winx Stakes Results: 26 In A Row For Champion
Winx was utterly dominant first-up at Randwick this afternoon. Photo: Steve Hart

2018 Winx Stakes Results: 26 In A Row For Champion

Twenty-six-in-a-row is how the history books read after equine superstar Winx stormed home to become the 2018 Winx Stakes winner in another dominant performance at Royal Randwick this afternoon.

Undoubtedly at her most-vulnerable first-up and at the shorter distance, Winx jumped at $1.35 here at Neds this afternoon but easily put her rivals to the sword yet again.

Jumping from the gates well, Hugh Bowman settled Winx off the pace as Oriental Runner and Cabeza De Vaca took up the running and injected plenty of pace into the Winx Stakes from the outset.

Sitting outside four-year-old Kementari and slightly worse than midfield as they turned for home, Bowman was merely a passenger as Winx pulled out to the worst part of the track and still put away her rivals with complete ease; hitting the line easily ahead of an impressive Invictus Prince ($151) and talented grey D’Argento ($17); Kementari boxing on fairly for fourth.

“It’s just a bit shorter of her best distance,” Bowman said after the race.

Glyn (Schofield, Kementari) came around the corner together and I just thought we were going to go stride for stride. I must admit – I thought I was near my top, she was just struggling at the pace of this distance and I thought we’d go together and he’s going to help me get to top gear.

“When she balanced up and saw the winning post oh, what can I say. She’s just incredible.

“They only come along once in a generation and she’s just such a special athlete. I’m lost for words, I’m just so proud of her.”

Waller was understandably emotional following Winx’s record-breaking win and laid all of the credit onto the champion mare.

“I’ve just been looking for signs of her losing her dominance and I haven’t seen one ounce of it – if anything, I’ve seen improvement,” Waller said after the race.

“It’s quite staggering. It should be about me; it’s about the amazing animal behind us. What she’s doing for sport and Australian racing, we should all take a bow and say well done Winx.

“She never looks like she’s dominant because I guess in some of the races she has, she jogs into it. You’re always just hoping to see that pressure come into the race and that’s when her and Kementari loomed large.

“What she does to horses is simply breaks their hearts. She can maintain it and some really good horses cant.

“We’re lucky in life. There’s some really good things we can look towards and look up to.”

Winx remains a clear and justifiable favourite to win an unprecedented fourth-consecutive Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October.