The 2018 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick on Saturday sees champion mare Winx step out for the first time during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
The Chris Waller trained Winx will be chasing her sixteen Group 1 win and her twenty-third successive victory and the three times Cox Plate winner is all the rage at the unbackable odds of $1.08 at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Waller will also saddle up his two stayers Who Shot Thebarman and Libran in the nine horse Chipping Norton Stakes field.
We will run through the Chipping Norton Stakes field below and see if there is any chance of Winx facing defeat for the first time in twenty-three starts.
Classic Uniform
The Gary Moore trained Classic Uniform continued to improve throughout the 2017 Spring Carnival and wrapped up his preparation with two wins at Randwick in the Group 2 Hill Stakes ($1800m) and in the Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m). The five year old was well beaten first up when seventh to Endless Drama in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick and it is hard to see him troubling Winx.
Who Shot Thebarman
Grand old stayer Who Shot Thebarman is resuming for the Autumn Carnival and will be having his first run since winning the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) at The Valley on Cox Plate Day during the Spring. Who Shot Thebarman will be making up some ground at the finish as he prepares for Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) later in the Autumn Carnival.
Libran
Libran is another from the Chris Waller stable that is heading towards the Sydney Cup and is facing the starter for the first time since finishing eighth to Rekindling in the 2017 Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington during the Spring Carnival. Libran will be no match for his super star stablemate Winx in the Chipping Norton Stakes.
Prized Icon
Prized Icon will be fitter for two runs back from a spell for a first up second in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill followed by a fourth to Endless Drama in the Apollo Stakes. The Kris Lees trained Prized Icon is the nearest to Winx in the betting at $14 but hasn’t visited the winner’s stall since claiming victory in the 2016 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. Is capable of filling one of the minor placings.
Stampede
Stampede is the only other runner under the $20 mark at Ladbrokes.com.au at $17 but it is hard to see the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained five year old troubling the three times Cox Plate winner at weight for age. Stampede raced on the pace before finishing a first up sixth in the Apollo Stakes and will race on the speed again for Tim Clark.
Jemadar
The David Pfieffer trained Jemadar has won his last two starts in restricted class at Canterbury and is just making up the numbers in the Chipping Norton Stakes as one of the outsiders of the field.
Winx is currently rated as the world’s best racehorse on turf and there would have to be a major catastrophic incident during the running of Chipping Norton Stakes if she didn’t win her twenty-third consecutive race and her sixteenth Group 1 trophy. Trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman have described Winx’s preparation for her 2018 Autumn Carnival debut as faultless and the champion mare is expected to win again at her first run since claiming her third successive Cox Plate victory during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Lasqueti Spirit
Lasqueti Spirit was a spectacular winner of the 2016 Crown Oaks at Flemington but has not won a race since. The Lee Curtis trained mare was well beaten at two runs during the 2017 Spring Carnival and has failed to impress at two recent Rosehill barrier trials. Rated a 100-1 chance.
Vinland
The Tony McEvoy trained three year old Vinland is another who is just making up the numbers and is still eligible for restricted class.