Eve Johnson Houghton takes on Winx for Dubai people's award

Winx has beaten a lot of opponents on her way to winning 30 straight races, including 22 Group 1s, but now finds herself up against a completely different rival in Eve Johnson Houghton.

The pair have been nominated for the Dubai Racing Club’s People’s Choice Award, a public vote for the most compelling horseracing moment of 2018, along with the US-trained Conquest Tsunami and jockey Yutaka Take.

Johnson Houghton became only the fourth British woman to saddle a Group 1 winner last summer, when 33-1 shot Accidental Agent won the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Of the nomination, Johnson Houghton said on Sunday: “I found out about it on Twitter! It’s a huge honour and I’m quite amazed really. I’m very touched that someone would nominate me.”

While the prospect of facing Winx, and a potential trip to Dubai for the awards ceremony, excites Johnson Houghton, she remains grounded in her expectations.

“I think it’s safe to say I've no chance; I’d vote for Winx in fairness!” she added.

For Winx, the highlight of 2018 was a fourth straight Cox Plate win, while legendary jockey Take earned his nomination after taking his tally to 4,000 winners on his 21,235th ride aboard Meisho Kazuhime.

Yutaka Take celebrates his 4,000th winner with Meisho KazuhimeCredit: Katsumi Minai

Conquest Tsunami won the Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita last year, less than three months after surviving the San Luis Rey Downs fire in southern California which claimed the lives of 46 horses.

The winner will be named at Sheikh Mohammed's Excellence Awards ceremony on March 28, two days before the richest day's racing in the world, the $35 million Dubai World Cup card.

Voting closes this Thursday and you can have your say here.

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