Winx made history in front of a crowd of 40 000 at Moonee Valley on Saturday, winning an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate with Hugh Bowman on board, to move ahead of Kingston Town as the most successful horse in the race’s history.
This was the daughter of Street Cry’s 29th-straight victory and her 22nd Gr1 win.
The Chris Waller-trained mare is now the highest-earning racehorse in history with career earnings topping A$22 million.
Winx is just one of seven horses to win the A$5 million feature aged seven or older, and the oldest since Fields of Omagh claimed glory in 2006.
Superstar Win! (Pic – Cox Plate – Twitter)
The champion mare was given a dream run by Bowman, closing in on the leaders around the turn before edging up to the leader Benbatl and going away to win the weight-for-age classic.
The Chris Waller-trained horse beat Benbatl, with Humidor — who nearly caused an upset over Winx in last year’s Cox Plate — finishing back in third.
Winx had looked relaxed at the barriers before the race, and she was settled quickly in fourth or fifth behind early leaders D’argento and Benbatl.
Hugh Bowman – was aboard Winx again
The early races on the card had shown horses struggling to win from behind, putting pressure on Winx to remain close to the leaders.
At the 600m, she was still fifth, behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Rostropovich, D’argento and Benbatl.
Rounding the turn at the 350m, she cruised up and took over halfway down the straight before opening up in the closing stages.
“I am feeling emotional but the electricity that came through my body when I turned into the home straight just then was something that I guess I only get to feel — but everyone watching, oh I don’t know. I’m lost for words,” Bowman told Channel Seven.
“The fact that she’s been able to do it so many times consecutively just speaks volumes for the management of her, but I just — what can I say?”
