Grand Lady Winx and Her 4th Cox Plate Run

 

The Queen of the Valley is ranked both the world's top-ranked filly or mare and the world's top-ranked turf horse. She was also inducted to the Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2017), only the third horse to earn this honour while still in training.

 

In her last race which was her third Cox Plate Winx broke a few records. She managed to:

• Beat her own track record by .04s when she recorded 2.02.94s
• Pass Makybe Diva’s stakes earnings record of $14.52 million
• Draw level with Kingston Town’s record of three Cox Plate wins
• Draw level with Black Caviar’s record of 15 Group 1 wins
• Record her 22nd victory in a row

 

Well The Cox Plate is here again. Winx is going to be defending her crown. The world stops in anticipation:

 

SW in conversation with the soft spoken charming co-owner of Winx and her greatest fan Peter Tighe:

 

Q: The Queen of the Valley beat has beaten dual-Everest Cup winner Redzel at a trial previously. Do you have any concerns about any contender?

A: There is absolutely no horse here in Australia or elsewhere we are worried to race against. But we do not want to push her too far. We are being very selective about the races we hope to run Winx in. Right now we are happy to go race-by-race. She is likely to be retired after 2018. She is already a 7-year-old mare and we want to do what is best for her. We want to try and keep her record intact. She is almost a national treasure in Australia. She is one of Australia’s greatest horses. Her racing career has to be managed in a way which is best for her. 

 

Q: What is your favourite racing moment with Winx?

A: It has got to be her third Cox Plate win. It was a surreal spectacle and a unique achievement. I will always consider it her best.

 

Q: How did you come to buy her? Was there a conscious plan to target her for Gr.1 races?

A: We bought her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale. We had an agreement between the three owner (Richard G Treweeke, Mrs Debbie N Kepitis, my wife Patty and myself) to join together to buy a horse. That horse was Winx.

 

We always believed she had potential. Once she started showing her ability, we decided to run her in the ATC Oaks, in which she came second. We then gave her a small break before the Queensland Oaks. After her break she came back bigger and better. Of course she won the Queensland Oaks.

 

Q: What kind of personality does she have?

A: Winx is a singular type of animal. She prefers her own company. Winx is definitely not a pet and won’t come to you when called. She is happiest on a race course and loves to compete. She has a particular friend in the stable, a calm, friendly, grey Gr.1 winning mare called Foxplay. But otherwise she likes to be left alone. Infact she doesn’t like hanging around the paddock either for too long. She would rather be back in the stable.

 

We wish Winx all the best of luck for her Cox Plate run!!

(This article was first published in the #RunToDWC18 series and has been abridged for the purpose of Winx’s fourth Cox Plate run)