Waller aiming to follow familiar path as Winx chases Cox Plate history

Winx galloped the Melbourne way in Sydney on Thursday and on Friday her trainer Chris Waller confirmed a pre-Cox Plate run in Melbourne was the aim for the great mare as she strives for history.

The world's premier turf horse will run in the Group 1 Colgate Optic White at Randwick on September 15 and, given she comes through the race unscathed, is likely to then continue on her spring course of 2017 and again be aimed at the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington three weeks later before another three weeks into the Cox Plate.

Asked on RSN927's Racing Pulse about whether Winx would again run in the Turnbull Stakes, after winning the race by a breathtaking six and a half lengths last year, Waller indicated that was the plan.

"I would say so but as I've said always, we are taking it one run at a time and concentrating on that and not getting too far ahead of ourselves but everything is looking pretty good at the moment," Waller said.

"The Caulfield Stakes is obviously a back-up plan if something - God forbid - went amiss holding her up.

"People say 'Why don't you just go to the Caulfield Stakes?' but if you go to the Caulfield Stakes and miss that run, you're on the back foot.

"I always like to keep a week spare if we need it so the Turnbull does look likely.

"We've got options in Sydney at the same time but there's always a risk in travelling horses so you'd like to get her down there a little bit early and that would be the reason for probably going for the Turnbull."

Even though Waller does not dare think too far ahead with Winx, he is already preparing her for that moment of truth at Moonee Valley on October 27.

"She had a gallop yesterday, we went to the reverse way, getting her warmed up for Melbourne," Waller said.

"The track down the back straight as Rosehill is perfect at the moment so she galloped basically on carpet and stretched out well.

"She was really happy. She'll have a similar gallop same time next week before the race in about eight days' time."

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