The returning Chris Waller-trained champion mare Winx dominates the Warwick Stakes 2016 field and betting odds for her first-up run at Randwick Racecourse this Saturday in Sydney.
Winx is odds-on favourite to win the 2016 Warwick Stakes first-up at Randwick this weekend and make it nine consecutive victories. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The six-time Group 1 winning daughter of Street Cry was last seen posting her ninth straight win in the Doncaster Mile (1600m) in April.
She vies for her 10th victory on the trot in the weight-for-age $250,000 Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) on Saturday jumping from barrier four with Hugh Bowman reuniting with the $6.67 million earner.
Bowman has ridden Winx for her past six wins going back to the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) in May of 2015, which was the first of her elite level wins.
Australiaâs highest-rated horse, Winx has trialled twice ahead of the Warwick Stakes including a cruisy fourth behind Boss Lane on August 9 over 850m at Randwick.
Waller is thrilled with where his mare is at heading into the Warwick Stakes and the bookies are taking no chances with her in the small seven-starter field.
Winx sits top of the early Warwick Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying a very short $1.35 to kick things off right where she left, despite news she underwent minor surgery to remove a bone chip over her winter spell.
Two other runners are also under double figures in the Warwick Stakes betting markets on the weekend including the rails-drawn Lucia Valentina ($6) for Newcastleâs Kris Lees.
The six-year-old Savabeel boosted her career earnings up over $4 million last start on April 9 at Randwick winning the richest race of the autumn â the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
She too has had two warm-up trials before the big run against Winx on Saturday, Lucia Valentina to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy as she vies for her third first-up run from seven attempts.
The other best fancied to score the boilover at $8 is Rebel Dane, also drawn a treat in barrier two with Tommy Berry to ride.
Gary Portelliâs veteran seven-year-old comes off a last start second to Tycoon Tara in the mud at Randwick on August 6 when a half-length off the winner in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m).
That was the California Dane stallionâs first start since a fourth in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) in mid-April, first-up to suit the galloper (9-4-2-2) who flies fresh.
His first-up run last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival produced a second in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick, but Portelli has him racing over a little further this time around.
The best of the double-figure hopes is Hartnell ($12) in gate three with James McDonald riding the John OâShea-trained Authrozied gelding.
Hartnellâs latest run from late February saw him finish fifth to Winx in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m),the import chasing his first turf triumph since the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) over the mile and a half at Randwick in March of 2015.
Along with Winx Waller also saddles-up three other Warwick Stakes hopefuls including Vanbrugh ($31) who won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) last October.
Wallerâs other runners are roughie hopes Who Shot Thebarman ($81) and Grand Marshal ($151) who do their best work over more distance.
Third in the 2014 Melbourne Cup over the two miles, Who Shot Thebarman also finished runner-up to Grand Marshal in last yearâs Sydney Cup over the same distance and fourth in this autumnâs edition of the Randwick classic.
Check out the full Warwick Stakes 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and odds below â Fixed Win prices provided by the countryâs leading online sportsbook Ladbrokes.com.au!