A master ride by Hugh Bowman saw glamour mare Winx collect her seventh win on the trot with victory in the Group 1 $600,000 Precise Air Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick today.
Winx made it seven wins on the trot with victory in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Bowman had Winx travelling smoothly mid field before making a winning move at the 600m on the $1.35 favourite to challenge the leading division on the point of the turn.
Bowman then let Winx balance up coming over the rise before extending her to record a one and half lengths win over Dibayani ($15) with Hauraki ($26) a further length away in third spot.
With the previous races on the day being dominated by front runners, Bowman wasnât going to get caught back in the field with a chance of not be being able to run down the leaders.
âI settled back a bit further than I had anticipated,â Bowman said.
âBut the thing about a horse like this is that you can rely on their turn of speed when you need them to. She has won from all places now and it is just a pleasure to be part of her.â
âWhen the pace settled a little down the side I was happy to just get out and she got herself into gear, I didnât ask her to go.â
âShe just put herself into the race. She is a dream to ride.â
Winning trainer Chris Waller is reluctant to step Winx up to 2000m before the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 9 is eyeing off the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 19 or the Group 2 $175,000 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 26 as her next assignment.
âI donât want to run her over 2000m until the Queen Elizabeth so I doubt she will run in the Ranvet,â Waller said.
âWe could change our minds and keep it open, but that is unlikely. So it is probably going to be the George Ryder or the Emancipation.â
âYou can do anything with her. She went three weeks into a Cox Plate, anythong is possible with a horse like her.â
2016 Chipping Norton Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | WINX | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | – | 8 | 57kg | $1.35F |
| 2 | 7 | DIBAYANI (IRE) | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Blake Shinn | 1.5L | 1 | 59kg | $15 |
| 3 | 8 | HAURAKI | John O’Shea | Sam Clipperton | 2.5L | 10 | 59kg | $26 |
| 4 | 2 | PREFERMENT (NZ) | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 4.1L | 5 | 59kg | $71 |
| 5 | 3 | HARTNELL (GB) | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 4.7L | 7 | 59kg | $9.50 |
| 6 | 9 | CENTRE PIVOT | Peter Robl | Damian Browne | 5L | 9 | 59kg | $61 |
| 7 | 10 | STORM THE STARS (USA) | Chris Waller | Tye Angland | 5.1L | 6 | 58.5kg | $26 |
| 8 | 6 | GRAND MARSHAL (GB) | Chris Waller | Jason Collett | 6.1L | 3 | 59kg | $101 |
| 9 | 5 | MAGIC HURRICANE (IRE) | John O’Shea | William Buick | 6.7L | 11 | 59kg | $51 |
| 10 | 4 | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Christian Reith | 6.9L | 12 | 59kg | $101 |
| 11 | 1 | MONGOLIAN KHAN | Murray Baker | Kerrin McEvoy | 7.1L | 4 | 59kg | $12 |
| 12 | 12 | GUST OF WIND (NZ) | John Sargent | Brenton Avdulla | 12L | 2 | 57kg | $81 |