Champion mare Winx will not race again this spring after her trainer Chris Waller and owners decided to send her for a spell rather than chase a 14th consecutive win in the lucrative $2million Emirates Stakes over 2000m at Flemington on November 5.
In a statement released on Monday afternoon, Waller said that despite serious consideration being given to running at Flemington connections felt that a reasonable period in the spelling paddock would be in the mare’s best interests.
“At this stage targets in the autumn are yet to be discussed but the most logical races will make up her autumn campaign,” the statement read.
“Other options such as travelling overseas and returning for a third Cox Plate in 2017 are also items the owners and I will discuss in the near future.
“She has pulled up well from the race with the exception of a minor abrasion to her hind leg.
“Simple bathing and a trip or two to the beach would see it naturally heal; however I have taken the aggressive approach of treating it with antibiotics to ensure no risks are taken.”
Waller went on to acknowledge the admiration shown to Winx by her legion of racing fans and the public and that he hoped there would be many more special moments to come in the future.
WATCH: Winx’s sizzling Cox Plate run
Winx is expected to be elevated to the highest-rated horse in the world for 2016 by the International Panel of Handicappers when they release their next set of figures on November 10, according to Australia’s representative on the panel, Racing Victoria’s Greg Carpenter.
United States superstar California Chrome currently leads the rankings with a rating of 133, ahead of fellow American Arrogate and Japan’s A Shin Hikari on 129. France’s Almanzor, recent winner of the Champion Stakes at Ascot, and Winx are equal fourth on 127.
Winx’s eight-length Cox Plate win over Hartnell, rated 123 internationally, will likely see her rival the legendary Black Caviar as Australia’s highest-rated horse and a possible world champion.
Black Caviar’s peak rating was 132, achieved in 2011, when she was the second-highest rated horse in the world behind Frankel (136). She then achieved season-ending ratings of 130 in 2012 (Frankel 140) and that figure again in 2013, the last when sharing the world’s best racehorse title with French champion Treve.
If Winx receives a rating of 133, the equal of California Chrome, or more she will then become the highest-rated Australian horse since the introduction of the World’s Best Racehorse rankings as an initiative of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities in 2003.
Almanazor and Winx will likely get significant boosts to their ratings after Group 1 successes since the latest ratings update on October 9 but neither will race again this year.
Top-ranked California Chrome will match up with Arrogate in the US$6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 5 at Santa Anita. A standout performance by either galloper will determine the final make up of the racing world’s best horses for 2016.
– racing.com
