Chris Waller says he and the owners of dual Cox Plate champion Winx will make a call later in the week on whether the mighty mare continues her spring preparation in the $2million Emirates Stakes (2000m) on the final day of the Flemington carnival.
After her eight-length rout in Australia’s weight-for-age championship on Saturday, Winx confirmed her status as one of the world’s best racehorses.
Waller said he and the owners would take stock after an emotional victory, and make a call later in the week on whether Winx races at Flemington for the first time in the revamped Mackinnon Stakes.
“I haven’t started to give my opinion [on running in the Emirates] to the owners,” Waller told Racing.com’s Correct Weight on RSN 927 on Sunday.
“I wouldn’t say it’d be early in the week, I’d say later in the week we’ll get together and have a bit of a chat.
“The grand final was yesterday – it’s not just about the week or two weeks’ lead-up.
“The whole preparation was geared toward yesterday, and we’ve got to remember the horse as well.
“So later in the week we’ll have a good think about it.”
Winx became the first mare since Sunline in 1999/2000 to go back-to-back in the Cox Plate.
Waller said a lot has changed since then.
“When I was watching Sunline, it was from Newcastle or Kembla Grange – certainly not Rosehill or Randwick,” the New Zealand native said.
“What she did as a horse was simply amazing, I remember the goosebumps from watching her, not training her.
“I was speaking to people yesterday, and they got that same feeling with Winx.
“I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d train a horse anywhere near as good as Sunline, but now that we’re doing it, it’s surreal.”
Waller hinted it would be his want to continue racing Winx in Australia, despite the temptation of trying to win a big race overseas.
“To go overseas, you’ve got to work out what cost it comes at,” Waller said.
“We’ve got to weigh all that up.
“I think the Cox Plate’s just as important in the spring next year, as is the Queen Elizabeth in the autumn.”
– racing.com
