Winx could create 'where were you?' moment in Cox Plate

Are you ready to watch Australian super mare Winx make history this weekend at Melbourne’s Moonee Valley racecourse?

If she achieves an unprecedented fourth straight Cox Plate (G1), I believe her legacy would measure up with the achievements of Zenyatta and American Pharoah. would arguably surpass the achievements of Zenyatta and American Pharaoh. All that stands between Winx and legendary status are Godolphin’s Benbatl and local rival Humidor.

A victory in this year’s Cox Plate, set for 2 a.m. ET Saturday, would give the 7-year-old mare 29 straight wins.

Given her previous performances, Winx is the strong favorite to win, with 1-4 odds to make history. The last time the race was won three times in a row was by Kingston Town in 1980-1982. No horse has ever achieved four straight wins.

Extending her Cox Plate hat trick would see Winx classed as one the greatest Australian racehorses of all time. She’s already mentioned in the same breath as such greats as Makybe Diva, who won her third Melbourne Cup in 2005, and Phar Lap, who won the 1932 Agua Caliente Handicap in Tijuana, Mexico, in record time.

While a victory looks certain, there’s a slim chance of an upset, especially considering Winx’s performance last time in the Turnbull Stakes (G1). After trailing for most of the race, she delivered a nail-biting victory over Youngstar and Kings Will Dream after jockey Hugh Bowman guided her home.

The main challenger in the eight-horse Cox Plate field is Godolphin’s British import, Benbatl, who comes to Moonee Valley after a victory in the Caulfield Stakes (G1) when he set a course record of 2:00.84. The horse also won the $6 million Dubai Turf (G1) back in March. Odds makers give the 4-year-old 15-2 odds to surprise.

The other leading challenger is Humidor, at 14-1. The Darren Weir-trained 6-year-old raced Winx to a close second in last year’s Cox Plate. Although he only finished fourth the last time they met, in April’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), Humidor’s victory in the Memsie Stakes (G1) last month has fans wondering if he’ll finish what he started at Moonee Valley in 2017.

Melbourne Cup contender Avilius could also threaten at a price. The Godolphin gelding has had a perfect spring campaign at the Group 3 level, moving through his last three starts without defeat, giving him 16-1 odds.

In a field of eight, Winx has landed a wide barrier, jumping from Gate 6 next to Humidor, who will be out from Gate 7.  Avilius, D’Argento and Benbatl drew the inside rails at 1,2, and 3 respectively.

If Winx does make history, she will share the glory of her 22nd Group 1 victory with trainer Waller and main jockey Bowman. For most fans, there is no Winx without these two.

New Zealand-born and Sydney-based Waller has been fine-tuning his star mare’s performance over the last four years and feels that she’s now at her peak.

“She is simply in the zone,” he said this week. “I don’t know what makes her tick, but she knows when the timing is right to be spot on.”

“She seems to sense when the bigger races are on, and at this time of year she is ready,” added Waller, whose other achievements include winning Australia’s premier mile race six times and the record for most Sydney metropolitan winners in a season.

Bowman, the other pillar of Team Winx, is equally confident that she’ll carry the day, especially given her liking for the course.

“The way the Valley is shaped, they get into top gear a long way out, at about the 600 meters before they start turning, and it just suits her,” he said.

Winx’s signature racing style is falling to the back of the pack early in a race before finishing with a dramatic dash home as they displayed in the Turnbull. That said, the 38-year-old jockey ruled out a master strategy for Moonee Valley.

“I will imagine how the race might run and scenarios eventuate,” Bowman said. “But I don't like to have too many plans on Winx or any other horse for that matter.”

With the strong chance of history being made by Winx as she competes in one of the last races of her career, Americans can tune in for coverage from TVG’s Candice Hare, who will be on site, or watch through Advanced Deposit Wagering platforms such as NYRA Bets. Free past performances and expert picks on the race is available at SkyRacingWorld.com.

A former Managing Director of Sportech Racing, David Haslett was appointed President and CEO of Sky Racing World in April 2014. The Louisville, Kentucky-based company, a subsidiary of Australian wagering firm Tabcorp, provides Australian, New Zealand, South African and South Korean thoroughbred racing and Australian Harness racing content for simulcast horse race wagering to multiple North American-facing ADW brands and racetracks.