Australia’s best racehorse Winx stamped herself as world class when beating some of Australia’s best racehorses in the $A1,000,000 G1 China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens, Australia today.
China Horse Club Chairman, Teo Ah Khing, at the race
The champion mare set alight a 20,000 strong crowd with an electric performance to join an honour roll of a race which dates back to 1903. Winx is expected to now target the $A4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes next month before a campaign which will see her bid to defend her Cox Plate title in the Australia spring and may then bid to carry her talents onto the international stage in 2017.
Winx ridden by James Hugh Bowman
Winx led home a one-two-three for trainer Chris Waller with the China Horse Club’s duo of Press Statement and First Seal finishing third and fourth respectively. The colt and mare were having their final tune ups before the $3 million Doncaster Handicap on 2nd April.
Press Statement(8) and First Seal(6)
At the post event ceremony Winx’s part-owner Debbie Kepsitis was glowing in her praise for her favourite racehorse and the involvement of the China Horse Club.
Presentation for China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes
“How good is Winxy,” Kepsitis beamed to a parochial audience.
“She is the best and she makes racing so much fun for us and for everyone. And I have to thank the China Horse Club as well. They are great owners and they are also putting their money into the sport as sponsors and for that we need to be very thankful. Racing needs more clubs like the China Horse Club.”
Eden Harrington, the Vice President and Head (Partnerships/Membership) spoke of his admiration of Winx and his hope that the four-year-old will carry on the growing internationalization of the China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes by taking on the world.
“We have seen the growing internationalization of the George Ryder Stakes with the British trained and British and Indian owned Gordon Lord Byron winning in 2014. In 2015 the Japanese owned and trainer Real Impact was victorious,” Harrington said.
“In 2016 the race has taken a further international flavour with the sponsorship of the China Horse Club and we sincerely hope that Winx and her connections will consider taking on the world and doing Australia proud. She will carry our hopes and cheers if she does and will do the China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes proud.”
Winx won her eighth straight race in the China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes, saluting by one-and-a-half lengths from Kermadec with Press Statement a further one-and-three-quarter lengths third.
The China Horse Club’s star colt Extreme Choice was given little chance to justify his favouritism in the $A3.5 million Longines Golden Slipper Stakes when smashed by a rival runner upon leaving the gates. The previously undefeated colt will be spelled immediately and be prepared for a spring campaign which will see him look to chase a second G1 win. Extreme Choice won the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes prior to today’s Golden Slipper.
Extreme Choice
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