Winx to start from barrier nine of nine
Co-owner of Winx, Peter Tighe, admits it is a different feeling heading to the mare’s final race.
As always before a big race, one of Winx’s owners is on hand to draw her barrier.
For the last time on Tuesday that task fell to Peter Tighe ahead of Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
Of nine barriers, Tighe pulled out No.9, not that it really matters to the champion who, if things go to plan, will get back, circle the field and run past them to end with her 33rd consecutive victory.
Tighe races the mare with Debbie Kepitis and Richard Treweeke and admitted it was different as the final day draws closer.
“It’s a little bit numb knowing we won’t be drawing for her again but perhaps we will for some of our other horses,” Tighe said.
“Everything we do now is the last of everything with her and it’s special..
“And without all the fans and the well wishers, it wouldn’t be the same, so thank you.”
It has been special for four years since Winx changed from being a good filly in Sydney who struggled to beat First Seal and who ran second to Gust Of Wind in the Australian Oaks at the corresponding meeting in 2015.
She went to Queensland and won the Sunshine Coast Guineas and then the Queensland Oaks to claim a Group One win.
She now has another 23 and only bad luck can stop her ending her career at the highest level.
Her trainer Chris Waller says she is at the top of her game and her jockey Hugh Bowman knows what he has underneath him.
Bowman galloped her at Rosehill on Tuesday morning.
“She worked really well this morning and I’m looking forward to the weekend,” he said.
“Having the English horse in the race will make it a true test.”
The English horse is He’s Eminent who is expected to be the race leader based on his performance when second to Avilius in the Tancred Stakes.
He is trained by New Zealand’s most famous equestrian, dual Olympic gold medallist Sir Mark Todd who is also a Group One-winning trainer.
For Bowman, Saturday will be business as usual with the jockey also concentrating on other Group One rides.
“I don’t want the occasion to get my thoughts away from the job I’ve got to do to allow Winx to do what she has to do,” Bowman said.
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