by Bren O'Brien
All is well in the world of Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) after the champion mare made her first public appearance of 2019 with a closing seventh in a Rosehill trial.
It was always going to be a case of no news is good news for trainer Chris Waller and Winx's connections, and aside from the fact she missed the start slightly, it was an otherwise uneventful morning for all concerned with the 7-year-old mare.
Hugh Bowman settled her last of the 10-horse field, and she worked her way home nicely to finish 5.7l from the trial winner and stablemate Endless Drama (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Within 200m of the finish of the trial she had passed her rivals and looked to have taken no backwards steps in her time in the spelling paddock.
“I don’t think there’s too much change and if anything that’s a positive that she’s enjoying herself and not showing any signs of stress,’’ Waller said.
“If anything she looks better than we’ve had her at the same stage."
“We’ve allowed an extra week to get her a little fitter but apart from that it’s business as usual.’’
“If anything she looks better than we’ve had her at the same stage." - Chris Waller
Waller took a good long look at the mare on her return to the mounting yard after the race and seemed perfectly happy with what he saw. She will return to Rosehill to trial again on January 29 and will have one more exhibition gallop before her likely return to the track in the G2 Apollo S. at Randwick on February 16.
Bowman said Winx had returned in the same frame of mind as when she won her fourth G1 Cox Plate.
“I do have to pinch myself but I’m reminded when I watched Roger Federer last night at the Australian Open, supreme athletes if they love to do it will continue at a high level for a long time,’’ Bowman said.
“The way she is so relaxed now, she really does save it all for game day. That was evident at the 200m where she wasn’t going to tack on unless I made her finish the trial off.
"I’m reminded when I watched Roger Federer last night at the Australian Open, supreme athletes if they love to do it will continue at a high level for a long time." - Hugh Bowman
“If that was a race I’d have been holding on to her as I was going past the winning bunch.’’
Waller said it was unlikely she would contest the $5m All-Star Mile at Flemington but reserved the right to change plans with the champion mare on her autumn campaign.
Easy for Alizee
One mare who looks headed in that direction is Alizee (Sepoy), who worked home very well in Winx's trial to finish third.
She is one of three horses nominated by Godolphin for the $5m feature and is coming off an emphatic win in the Listed Christmas Classic at Randwick late last month.
She will now head to the G2 Expressway S. at Rosehill on February 2.
G2 Lawrence S. winner Showtime split Endless Drama and Alizee, while 3-year-olds Tchaikovsky (Redoute's Choice) and Performer (Exceed and Excel) also returned well in fourth and fifth.
The second trial was also a high-quality affair with Sandbar (Snitzel) holding off fellow 3-year-old Lean Mean Machine (Zoustar) in a competitive finish. Spin (I Am Invincible), returning to the track as a gelding, looked strong late in third, with multiple Group 1 winner Trapeze Artist (Snitzel), pretty much untouched in fourth.
For Love flies in 2-year-old trials
There were four 2-year-old trials, with the fastest of them clearly the fillies heat won by For Love (Unencumbered) in 53.33.
The Matthew Smith trained filly was third on debut at Flemington earlier this month and showed her experience on Tuesday by jumping well and leading all the way. Lucicello (I Am Invincible), who is yet to debut, finished well for second with Satin Socks (Medaglia d'Oro {USA}), who was sixth in the G3 Gimcrack S. on debut, in third.
The trial was 1.2 seconds quicker than the next fastest, won by Aussie (Snitzel), the half-brother to Starspangledbanner, who held off Soami (So You Think {NZ}).
Trainer Gerald Ryan won the other two heats, with the colt Colada (Brazen Beau) and the filly Splashy (Medaglia d'Oro {USA}) both recording clear wins.
