Winx (horse)

2013/14: two-year-old season

After two racecourse trials, Winx made her competitive debut on 4 June 2014 in a maiden race and won over 1100 metres at Warwick Farm Racecourse. Later that month, on her second and final race of the season, she won over 1400 metres at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney.^[2]

2014/15: three-year-old season

As a three-year-old, Winx recorded her first major success when she won the Group 2 Furious Stakes over 1200 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in September.^[11] She then finished second to First Seal in both the Tea Rose Stakes and the Flight Stakes before being given a summer break.

She finished unplaced twice in February 2015 before winning the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes against male opponents over 1500 metres at Rosehill on 14 March.^[12] Two weeks later at the same track she was stepped up in distance for the Vinery Stud Stakes against other fillies but finished unplaced behind Fenway. She started 9/5 favourite for the Australian Oaks over 2400 metres at Randwick on 11 April but was beaten by the 16/1 outsider Gust of Wind.^[13]

After having earned only one win in her last seven starts, Winx was dropped in class for the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas on 16 May. She trailed the large field as they turned for home but finally found racing room and drew off to win by one and three quarter lengths from the colt Ulmann. "At the 1000m I thought 'This is not good.' At the 600m it was even worse. I was in an impossible position," said jockey Larry Cassidy. "I just made the decision to come to the outside. If I was going to get beat, I didn't want it to be because I was on the inside behind horses. That was just breathtaking."^[14]

On her final appearance of the season she started odds-on favourite for the Group 1 Queensland Oaks on 30 May at Doomben Racecourse and won by three and a half lengths from Ungrateful Ellen.^[15]

2015/16: four-year-old season

After running in a trial at Warwick Farm, Winx began her third season on 12 September 2015 by starting favourite for the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes over 1300 metres at Rosehill. After starting slowly, she moved to the outside of the field and closed rapidly to win by a head from the outsider Sons of John. Jockey James McDonald said, "She took a bit to get going. I just let her flop out and then let her gather momentum."^[16]

Three weeks later she contested the 150th running of the Epsom Handicap over 1600 metres at Randwick. Starting favourite against thirteen opponents, she overcame serious interference on the final turn to win by two and a half lengths from the six-year-old gelding Ecuador.^[17] Her weight of 57 kilograms (126 lb) was the highest ever carried to victory in the race by a female. Speaking after the race, her trainer Chris Waller commented "For her to pick herself up after that and put herself back in the race before bursting through like she did, it was pretty special. Her winning strike rate separates her from a lot of horses. She overcomes barrier draws, track conditions and distances. She had a long three-year-old year. She has been everywhere and she is still firing. For her to come back as a four-year-old is pretty special."^[18]

On 24 October, Winx started favourite for Australia's most prestigious weight-for-age race, the Cox Plate over 2040 metres at Moonee Valley Racecourse. The field included an international element with Highland Reel (Secretariat Stakes) from Ireland, Arod (Diomed Stakes, Summer Mile Stakes) from England and Gailo Chop (Prix Guillaume d'Ornano) from France. The filly raced on the inside rail, broke clear of the field entering the straight and won by four and three quarter lengths from Criterion in a race record time of 2:02.98. After the race, her jockey Hugh Bowman said "She's a group 1 mare, she's a serious racehorse. From the 800, I was very confident".^[19] Waller commented "She is just such an athlete. I never thought when she was a young horse this was where she would get to".^[20]

Winx earned a rating of 123 for the Cox Plate, which placed her in a tie for eighth in the 2015 World's Best Racehorse Rankings. In comparison to other fillies and mares, she ranked only behind Treve and tied for second with Beholder.^[21]

After a three and a half month break, Winx returned in autumn for two races at Randwick. On 13 February 2016 she won the Group 2 Apollo Stakes over 1400 metres and was then stepped back up to Group 1 level for the 1600 metre Chipping Norton Stakes two weeks later. Starting the odds-on favourite, she won by a length and a half from Dibayani with Hauraki a length away in third. Bowman, who had ridden many major winners including So You Think, described her as "the best I have had anything to do with"^[22]

In the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill on 19 March, she again won at short odds, beating Kermadec by one and a half lengths. On 2 April, the filly started odds-on favourite for the A$3 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick despite carrying top weight in a fifteen-runner field on unsuitably soft ground. She looked unlikely to obtain a clear run in the straight but broke through in the closing stages to win by two lengths from Happy Clapper. Waller commented, "I'll call her a champion while I can speak. I thought she was beaten at the half-mile. She must have an amazing will to win."^[23]

The win in the Doncaster earned Winx a rating of 126 by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), which tied her for the lead in the April 2016 listing of the World's Best Racehorse rankings with California Chrome. "That’s an extraordinarily high figure for a mare," said Racing Victoria’s Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter. "When you think of the great mares of the last decade, only horses like Black Caviar, Treve, Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra and Danedream have been able to run to figures of 127 and higher."^[24]

Winx was voted the Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for 2015/6, receiving all but one vote. She was also named the Champion middle-distance performer.^[25]

2016/17: five-year-old season

Winx began her next season in the Warwick Stakes over 1400 metres at Randwick on 20 August. She took the lead 300 metres out and drew away to win by three and half lengths from Hartnell. She was entered in the Chelmsford Stakes on 3 September but scratched due to the heavy going.^[9] On 17 September, she won the Group I George Main Stakes (also known as the Colgate Optic White Stakes), pushing her lifetime earnings past the A$7,000,000 mark. She also extended her winning streak to 11, tying her with Kingston Town.^[26]

On 8 October, Winx faced only two rivals in the Caulfield Stakes. Black Heart Bart set the early pace, then Winx moved alongside on the turn while on the wrong lead. In the final 200m (one furlong), she switched to the right lead and drew off.^[27]

On 22 October, Winx faced a stiffer challenge in her attempt to defend her 2015 win in the Cox Plate. Her leading rival was Hartnell, whose form had significantly improved since the two met in August in the Warwick, making him the early favorite for the Melbourne Cup. The field also included several other Group One winners such as Black Heart Bart, Hauraki, Lucia Valentina and Yankee Rose.^[28] Bowman placed Winx to the outside of Hartnell during the early running then released her with 600 metres remaining. Winx moved to a two length lead at the top of the stretch and continued to draw away, eventually winning by a record eight lengths from Hartnell. It was her thirteenth consecutive win, including nine Group One victories, and took her past Black Caviar and So You Think in career earnings. "We were along way away but we weren't disgraced", said David Vandyke, trainer of Yankee Rose who finished third. "We can say we got beaten by Winx."^[29]

Timeform increased her rating to 133p, "with the possibility of even better to come".^[30] The IFHA gave her an initial rating of 130,^[31] subsequently increased to 132, making her both the top-ranked filly/mare and top-ranked turf horse in the world for 2016.^[32] The 132 rating is tied with Black Caviar as the highest rating ever assigned to a filly or mare.^[33]

When asked what set Winx apart from other competitors, Bowman said, "She is so well-balanced, light on her feet, and she can accelerate very quickly. But it is her will-to-win and her determination that makes her so good. I’ve never ridden a horse like her."^[34]

Winx was given some time off, then returned to training in January 2017.^[35] Her next start was the Apollo Stakes at Randwick, originally scheduled for 11 February but delayed to 13 February due to extreme heat in the Sydney area. Winx broke poorly, then settled in mid pack behind a fast early pace. She swung out three-wide leaving the far turn, then pulled away in the stretch to defeat Hartnell by two lengths. "My only worry going into the race was if there was no tempo but that went at a good gallop and that really helped," said Bowman. "Chris [Waller] and his team have done a great job to have her ready after so long away from the races and it's a privilege to be part of this."^[36]

On 25 February, Winx returned in the Chipping Norton Stakes. Originally at odds of 1.10, she drifted out slightly to 1.22 because of the heavy going. With the rain still falling shortly before the race, Waller walked the course and determined it was safe for Winx to run. "I was so close to scratching her but we made the right decision. I walked the track before the race and it looked pretty good to me. It was safe and that was my main concern," he said. Although her time was slow, Winx won with ease by two lengths over longshot Lasqueti Spirit. Hartnell did not handle the track and was well back in eighth. "Today the conditions were fair and even," said Bowman, "yeah sure it is wet but everyone is getting their chance and it is just a case of whether your horse can cope with the surface or not. Clearly this mare can."^[37]

The victory extended Winx's winning streak to fifteen, surpassing Phar Lap's win streak of fourteen and tying her with Carbine and Bernborough. It was her tenth Group One win and the winner's purse took her earnings to A$9.8 million, third on the Australian all-time list behind Makybe Diva and Sunline.^[37]

On 18 March, Winx was entered in the George Ryder Stakes at a distance of 1500 metres over another rain-soaked course. Her six rivals included sprint champion Chautauqua and Group I winner Le Romain, who was expected to relish the heavy going. Winx settled near the back of the pack after an awkward break, then started making up ground on the outside as they moved around the turn. Once they entered the stretch, Winx drew off easily and won by ​7 ¹⁄₄ lengths from Le Romain, with Chautauqua in third. Her share of the purse took her earnings over the A$10 million mark.^[38] Timeform called the performance "her best yet", assigning a rating of 134.^[5]

Winx made her final start of the autumn on 8 April at Royal Randwick in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the world's most valuable 2000 metre turf race with a purse of A$4 million.^[39] In the early running, she was positioned on the outside of the second group of runners, a few lengths behind the leading group that included Hartnell, who made his move as they rounded the turn. Winx responded as they entered the stretch, "excellerating away" to win by ​5 ¹⁄₄ lengths from Hartnell with Sense of Occasion in third.^[40]

"I don't think you see the best of her when it is that sort of race," said Bowman, speaking of the slow pace. "I mean she is obviously still good, she wheeled passed them at the top of the straight and she still let down. But I honestly I think when she gets in a high pressure race, when there is a lot of pace from the start like there was in last year's Cox Plate, that's when you see the best of her."^[41]

The IFHA assigned a rating of 132 for the race, matching her personal best rating from the 2016 Cox Plate.^[42] In the 2017 rankings, Winx once again ranked second behind Arrogate on the World's Best Racehorse ratings, and was the top-rated turf horse and female horse.^[43]

Winx earned her second Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year award in a ceremony held on 8 October, becoming only the fourth mare to win this honour twice (Sunline, Makybe Diva and Black Caviar being the others). She also repeated as middle distance champion. Bowman and Waller were also honoured as leading Group 1 jockey and trainer respectively.^[44]

2017/18: six-year-old season

On 19 August, Winx opened up her six-year-old campaign with a second successive win in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (now upgraded to Group 1, with a name change to Winx Warwick Stakes^[45]) to extend her winning streak to 18 races and her prize money up above $13M. The race did not go to plan however as she was left at the barriers, missing the start by some four lengths. Her stablemate Foxplay kicked clear into the straight, and Hugh Bowman on Winx had to ease her into the race. Coming from last on the turn and still last at the 300m mark, she lengthened stride and finished fast to run Foxplay down right on the line to win by a half neck in a "remarkable" effort.^[46]

Concerned by the poor start in the Warwick, Waller decided to add ear muffs to Winx's racing equipment to help her relax – she had always worn them during trackwork but previously had them removed in the parade ring before racing.^[47] She made her next start on 2 September in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick. This time she broke well and settled near the front of the main pack. On the lead, Red Excitement set a quick pace and opened up a large lead of five lengths to the second place horse, who in turn was over five lengths in front of Winx. Turning into the stretch, Winx moved into second but still had five lengths to make up on Red Excitement with 450m remaining. At the 200m mark, she still had three lengths to make up when Bowman dropped the whip. Under a hand ride, Winx continued to close ground and pulled clear in the final strides to win by a length.^[48]

"At the top of the straight I wasn't worried last start, but today I really was," said Bowman. "What she did today was incredible, I mean everything she does is incredible, but I'm lost for words... He (Red Excitement) certainly made a race of it. He left no stone unturned. I was comfortable in the first quarter of the race but I could see what was happening so I started to make my way a bit closer from the 900-metre mark but I still had to stay within myself... I'm concentrating on just keeping her balanced but when she hit the afterburners at the 150-metre mark today, I just can't explain the feeling."^[49]

On 16 September, Winx was entered in the George Main Stakes where she was installed as the heavy favorite. She broke well but soon settled near the back of the pack, well off the fast pace set by Red Excitement. She was not moving well and Bowman struck her with the whip with 600 metres remaining. Rounding into the stretch, she was still near the rear of the field, some eight lengths behind Red Excitement. From mid-pack, Happy Clapper made his move near the top of the stretch and took command of the race. Winx seemed slow to respond but then picked up her stride in mid stretch and swept to the lead, then eased off slightly near the wire to win by ​1 ¹⁄₄ lengths. Her time for the 1600-metre distance was a race record of 1:33.65.^[50]

Winx made her first start at Flemington Racecourse on 7 October in the Turnbull Stakes, causing "commuter chaos" as her fans headed to the track.^[51] Feeling that Winx had regained her focus at the start, Waller removed the ear muffs from her equipment.^[52] Winx broke well and settled in fifth place during the early running, then swung wide and started making up ground on the turn. With 400m remaining, the crowd started clapping as she accelerated past her rivals. Despite never being urged and easing up before the wire, Winx completed the final 400m in 22.71 seconds to win by ​6 ¹⁄₂ lengths.^[53]

On 28 October, Winx extended her winning streak to 22 when she won the Cox Plate for the third time, matching Kingston Town's achievement. Before a sell out crowd, Winx broke well and raced in mid pack before starting her move on the final turn. She struck the lead at the head of the stretch and then withstood a late run from Humidor to win by half a length. Her time of 2:02.94 was a new course record for 2000m. It was her fifteenth Group 1 win, tying her with Black Caviar's Australian record. The winner's share of the A$3 million purse made her the leading prize money earner in Australian racing history.^[54][55][56]

"It wasn't an easy victory, she had to be good to fight Humidor," said Waller. "But you never expect these races to be easy. In fact, you never expect to win when you come to these races. That was a fair-dinkum Cox Plate out there today."^[56]

Winx was given a layoff, then was originally scheduled to return to racing in February 2018 in the Apollo Stakes. However, Bowman had been suspended for a previous racing infraction so Waller decided to delay Winx's return until Bowman would be available to ride her. On 3 March, Winx was entered in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick, facing seven rivals including Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon. She broke slowly and settled near the pack of the pack, then swung wide around the turn while gradually improving her position. Entering the stretch, she moved to the lead and pulled away for a seven length victory. The win was her sixteenth at the Group 1 level, moving her by Black Caviar for the Australian record and tied with John Henry for the world record for Group / Grade 1 victories on the flat.^[57][58]

Bowman commented that the impressive win was due at least in part to the mare's preference for soft going, believing she was not at her best over the firm tracks she had encountered in four of her previous five wins. "She still performed at a high level every time but she is just not as comfortable," he said. "The one wet track she did have was at Flemington and we saw what she did there in the Turnbull. A little bit of cut here this afternoon and we couldn't have asked for a better return to racing."^[58]

On 24 March, Winx won the George Ryder Stakes for the third time, extending her winning streak to 24 – just shy of Black Caviar's Australian record of 25. It was also her seventeenth Group 1 win, breaking the world record she had previously shared with John Henry. In what Bowman called a tactical race, Winx settled near the back of the six-horse field then started to make up ground around the turn. Invincible Gem led early, stalked by Happy Clapper. Winx unleashed her run with 300m remaining, and gradually pulled away to win by three-quarters of a length from Happy Clapper.^[59]

After the George Ryder, Winx's connections discussed whether the mare would be shipped to England in June for the Royal Ascot racing festival. They ultimately decided against it as Waller was concerned about putting the mare through the stress of travel and quarantine for just one or two races.^[60] Waller had a small amount of synthetic filler applied to Winx's near (left) hind hoof. The filler is used when a horse's hoof wall becomes brittle, usually towards the end of the racing season. It provides the farrier with more surface area for nailing on horseshoes.^[61]

On 14 April, Winx made her last start of the season in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Bowman settled the mare in last place, with Gailo Chop setting a comfortable pace up front. With 800m remaining in the race, Winx moved alongside Happy Clapper at the back of the pack while Japanese runner Ambitious pushed Gailo Chop for the lead. As the field rounded the turn, Happy Clapper made his move along the rail while Winx moved far wide for racing room. She accelerated quickly and quickly closed ground on Gailo Chop then drew clear to win by ​3 ³⁄₄ lengths.^[62] The win was her 25th in a row, tying her with Black Caviar for the Australian record. Waller commented, "We will never know how good she is because she just had the best horses in Australia take her on and beat them like that."^[63]

The win earned Winx a rating of 130, making her the top-rated horse in the world in the May 2018 update of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. She also became only the second horse after Black Caviar to post a rating of at least 130 in three consecutive years.^[64]

Winx was turned out for a six-week spell and then resumed training with a goal to win her fourth Cox Plate.^[65]

On 4 October 2018, Winx was awarded the Horse of the Year title for the 2017/2018 season, her third such title in a row. She also repeated as Australian champion middle distance horse.^[66]

2018/19: seven-year-old season

Winx made the first start of her seven-year-old campaign on 18 August in the Winx Stakes, which was previously known as the Warwick Stakes before being renamed in her honour. Now a Group 1 event with a purse of $500,000, the race attracted a field of 11 including Kementari (Randwick Guineas), the only other horse under 10-1. Winx went off as the heavy favourite, having attracted several large bets including one for $140,000. She settled near the back of the field after breaking evenly, then improved her position around the turn to mid-pack. She swung wide and entered the stretch beside Kementari, who was unable to match her acceleration and could only finish fourth. Winx drew away from the field and won eased up by two lengths over Invictus Prince.^[67]

Despite the comfortable win, her connections admitted to being worried at the top of the stretch. Bowman pointed out that the mare had not run recently at the sprint distance of 1,400 metres (7.0 furlongs), and she had had trouble keeping up with the early pace. "When she balanced up and saw the winning post, what can I say," he said. "She is incredible."^[68]

Waller commented that instead of losing a step with age, Winx was possibly still improving. Chief steward Marc van Gestel agreed. "She was so dominant and obviously she is getting better. She looked amazing and will improve off this run. I think they will be chasing her for the rest of the spring."^[67]

Winx established several milestones in winning the race. She set an Australasian record by extending her winning streak to 26, bypassing Black Caviar who won 25 races in an undefeated career. The two longest winning streaks are by Camarero (56 successive wins in restricted company in Puerto Rico) and Hungarian mare Kincsem (54 wins while undefeated). Winx became the first mare to win three renewals of the Warwick/Winx Stakes, and only the third horse overall (Kingston Town and Limerick being the others). She also extended her world record to 19 Group 1 wins, while becoming the first seven-year-old mare to win a Group 1 since Makybe Diva.^[67]

On 9 September, Winx retained the stand-alone top rating in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings with a rating of 130.^[69]

On 15 September, Winx won the George Main Stakes for the third time, extending her win streak to 27 and her Group 1 win count to 20. The favourite in a field of seven, she (as usual) galloped near the back of the pack early then started her move with 600m remaining before accelerating as they entered the stretch. For several strides, she failed to make up ground on Le Romain, who had accelerated at roughly the same time. Winx then picked up her stride rate and drew clear, winning by four lengths.^[70]

Bowman said that Winx now knows what she needs to do to win. "Le Romain ran a hell of a race and at the corner, I didn't feel in danger, but I didn't feel like she was going to be as dominant as she usually is," he said. "But when that turbo kicked into gear at the 250 metres it was all over."^[70]

Winx then travelled to Melbourne to enter the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on 6 October. Her main rivals in the field of ten were Youngstar (winner of the Queensland Oaks) and Grunt (with two Group I wins). Winx settled at the back of the pack where she became boxed in by horses in front and to her outside. The early pace was slow, meaning the field remained tightly packed. As they entered the stretch, the pace picked up but Winx was still in ninth place and lacked racing room. Bowman remained calm, waiting for a gap to open. When it did, Winx accelerated through and rapidly made up ground, then moved by Youngstar to win by three-quarters of a length.^[71]

The fractional times for the race were noteworthy: after running the first 800m in 50.82 seconds, Winx completed the last 800m in 43.98 seconds, a difference of roughly 40 lengths. She ran the final 200m in an exceptional time of 10.87 seconds, reaching a speed of over 70 km/h. Waller credited the long stretch of Flemington for allowing the mare to "get through her gears".^[71]