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Posted 2018-03-03 08:07:09  
Winx Return A Procession

Royal Ascot looks as real as it ever has for connections of wonder mare Winx after she extended her incredible winning streak to 23 with a brilliant first-up win in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

While the first-up tilt at the mile was an unfamiliar task for Chris Waller's galloper, the result was one that punters have come to know well with the six-year-old cruising to one of the most dominant wins of her career in landing her third Chipping Norton.

The daughter of Street Cry settled second-last in the run but quickly looped the field when given more rein by Hugh Bowman inside the final 600m, powering to the line over the final 400m to post a seven-length win over Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon, with Classic Uniform in third.

A pair of untimely careless riding suspensions to Bowman forced connections to delay Winx's return to the track by a fortnight but her regular rider said the decision to bypass the Apollo Stakes (1400m) had worked in her favour with the mare more comfortable and more dominant over a mile.

"She has been filling me with confidence all preparation," Bowman said.

"She is at her most vulnerable early in her preparation over the shorter distances, we've seen when she has run in her first-up run races over 1400m it's the only time she's left flat-footed and left us scratching our heads wondering if she has still got it.

"Today at the 1600m, a nice genuinely-run race, I had a lovely run close to the rear of the field but she just travelled so kindly.

"I wouldn't say it was a vintage field that she has beaten here today, and that's fair to say, it's obvious, she's beaten much better horses."

Winx's 16th Group 1 victory of her career took the superstar's career prizemoney to just shy of $16 million and it could quickly be followed by a 17th top-line scalp with Waller confirming the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) as her next assignment before a likely tilt at another Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

Beyond that, there are several options for the mare including an international campaign where the G1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot has been touted as the most suitable race to showcase her talents to the world.

While he didn't entertain discussion about potential overseas targets, Waller said he was just delighted to see Winx return to the track in a similar manner to when she left it last October.

"To see her come back like this is pretty special," a teary Waller said.

"Her attitude is fantastic, she is better now than when she was a four-year-old but not much has changed in the last 12 months.

"She knows it's her job, she enjoys her job. 

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