Winx faces six rivals as she aims for record 23rd top-level victory at Randwick

4.40 Randwick
TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (Group 1) | 3yo+ | 1m | turf

Superstar mare Winx will attempt to go one better than Hurricane Fly on Saturday when she bids for a 23rd top-level triumph in the Grade 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick.

Winx, who has won the Chipping Norton for the past three years, currently shares the overall world record – Flat and jumps combined – for the most Group/Grade 1 wins in a career.

Hurricane Fly won 22 Grade 1s, all over hurdles, between 2008 and 2015, while Winx scored her 22nd Group 1 victory in the Cox Plate in October.

Winx looked as good as ever on her seasonal return in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes a couple of weeks ago, registering her 30th victory on the bounce.

Back at Randwick she faces half a dozen opponents, five of which are stablemates.

Trainer Chris Waller said: "She has come through her race really well and I can’t fault her. She's a class act."

Jockey Hugh Bowman said: "She's just different. I got that feeling on Tuesday, when her work was exceptional. She's just got gears other horses don't have. She's got competitive juices flowing through her veins."

Waller also runs Unforgotten – who was put in the shade by Winx on Tuesday in their workout – Egg Tart, Patrick Erin, Libran and Brimham Rocks.

The Chipping Norton is expected to be Winx's third-last race, with the George Ryder at Rosehill on March 23 on the agenda before a planned swansong in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 13.

Waller added: "I haven’t started counting down the days, but I’m counting down the runs to make sure she’s the same as she has been the last 18 months.

“Every race has been so important over the last 18 months, from her third Cox Plate onwards.”

Happy Clapper is Winx's only rival not to come from the Waller yard, but the Pat Webster-trained eight-year-old will be having a tenth run against the mare.

Webster said: "Hopefully he can run second to Winx again. He can't beat her on what she showed in the Apollo."

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