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World Record 23rd Group 1 Win for Winx

Mark Smith - Saturday March 2

Blake Shinn on Pat Webster's gallant gelding Happy Clapper sent a ripple through the crowd when he led by up to five lengths in the running of Saturday's $600,000 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, but it was a bit like a cat playing with a mouse when Hugh Bowman sidled up alongside on old nemesis Winx.

With a minimum of fuss, Winx kept a one and quarter length margin over Happy Clapper (Teofilo) with Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) a further three and a quarter lengths back in third. (images Steve Hart)


Triple Group 1 winner Happy Clapper may get his moment in the sun should he run in a Winxless All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 16.

It was a world-record 23rd Group I win for the 7yo daughter of Street Cry (IRE), her 31st consecutive win and fourth consecutive win in the Chipping Norton.

Bowman said the champion was playing up in the barriers and was concerned she would miss the start.

"She was a little agitated today, more so than she has been recently, but fortunately they didn't open when they pressed the button," Bowman said.

"Blake really made it a test today, as Josh Parr did a few years ago on Red Excitement, but she can cover all bases this mare. She's just an amazing athlete, there are really no more words to describe her.

"I have a lot of respect for Blake, he is one of the jockey's out there who will go out and do something different. I anticipated that he would go out and try and go really slow, but he probably realised that he couldn't win doing that and has gone and done the opposite. It's a small field, the opposition aren't the best horses, but the best horses won't take her on, but Happy Clapper is in his home town and he's got an amazing record here and he's an amazing horse in his own right. With the small field it sort of makes it easy to overcome those sort of tactics - I've just got to be aware of it."

Chris Waller said Winx was given a race, which was a positive for her future assignments.

"It was certainly no easy feat. I thought Winx would either beat him if they go too slow or they go too fast. I'd say they almost got it right. Under pressure she is very good," Waller said.

"It was a good test for her and will bring her on nicely for the next couple of runs because they need stimulating. They need to do it under race conditions to get that. It's looking good for three weeks time, then three weeks after that."


The Winx Fact File

7yoM Street Cry (Ire) - Vegas Showgirl (NZ)(Al Akbar (Aus))

41 starts - 35 wins 3 seconds $23,424,675

Group 1 Wins

1st G1 Moonee Valley W S Cox Plate 2040m (2018)

1st G1 Flemington Turnbull Stakes 2000m (2018)

1st G1 Randwick Colgate Optic White Stakes 1600m (2018)

1st G1 Randwick Winx Stakes 1400m (2018)

1st G1 Randwick Queen Elizabeth Stks 2000m (2018)

1st G1 Rosehill George Ryder Stakes 1500m (2018)

1st G1 Randwick Chipping Norton Stakes 1600m (2018)

1st G1 Moonee Valley W S Cox Plate 2040m (2017)

1st G1 Flemington Seppelt Turnbull Stakes 2000m (2017)

1st G1 Randwick Colgate Optic White Stakes 1600m (2017)

1st G1 Randwick Longines Queen Elizabeth Stks 2000m (2017)

1st G1 Rosehill China Horse Club George Ryder 1500m (2017)

1st G1 Randwick Tab Chipping Norton Stakes 1600m (2017)

1st G1 Moonee Valley W S Cox Plate 2040m (2016)

1st G1 Caulfield Ladbrokes Stakes 2000m (2016)

1st G1 Randwick Colgate Optic White Stakes 1600m (2016)

1st G1 Randwick Doncaster Mile 1600m (2016)

1st G1 Rosehill George Ryder 1500m (2016)

1st G1 Randwick Chipping Norton 1600m (2016)

1st G1 Moonee Valley W S Cox Plate 2040m (2015)

1st G1 Randwick Epsom Hcp 1600m (2015)

1st G1 Doomben Treasury Casino/Hotel Qld Oaks 2200m (2015)

Black Type Wins

1st G2 Randwick Apollo Stakes 1400m (2019)

1st G2 Randwick Tatts Club Chelmsford Stakes 1600m (2017)

1st G2 Randwick Bob Ingham Warwick Stakes 1400m (2017)

1st G2 Randwick The Star Apollo Stakes 1400m (2017)

1st G2 Randwick Warwick Stakes 1400m (2016)

1st G2 Randwick Optus Business Apollo Stakes 1400m (2016)

1st G2 Rosehill Theo Marks Stakes 1300m (2015)

1st G3 Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast Guineas 1600m (2015)

1st G2 Rosehill Cellarbrations Phar Lap Stakes 1500m (2015)

1st G2 Randwick Coolmore Furious Stakes 1200m (2014)


A half-sister to Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes winner El Divino, Winx was a $230,000 purchase by Magic Bloodstock out of the Coolmore draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Her dam Vegas Showgirl, a dual Listed stakes-winning daughter of Al Akbar, was a $455,000 purchase by Colm Santry Bloodstock on behalf of John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds at the 2008 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Vegas Showgirl has a 2yo Snitzel filly named Courchevel and a yearling filly by Exceed And Excel named Covent Garden.

On November 30, Vegas Showgirl arrived back from Japan after her date with Deep Impact (JPN).

 

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