Winx all up a winner for racing

Sydney’s superhorse is such a dominant champion, she stifles betting.

But Winx is also responsible for what bookmakers are calling the “halo effect” where her sheer popularity with punters and race fans is stimulating wagering interest on other races.

MIRACLE MAL: WINX ON PAR WITH THE KING

DO YOU KNOW YOUR WINX FACTS?

Winx, the world’s highest-rated horse on turf, is out to extend her phenomenal winning streak in the Group 1 $ 500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday where she is rated $ 1.09 with TAB Fixed Odds.

She has won her last 19 races, earning her owners more than $ 13 million prizemoney, and is the closest to a sure thing racing has seen since Black Caviar, unbeaten after 25 starts.

Winx is the “punter’s pal”, having started favourite in each of her 19 successive wins.

The shortest price bookies have bet about her was the $ 1.09 in the George Main Stakes last year, while her longest quote is $ 4.50 when she won the 2015 Cox Plate.

If a TAB punter had the foresight to put $ 10 on Winx when she started her winning streak in the 2015 Sunshine Coast Guineas and then let the winnings ride on every start since, the return would be a staggering $ 128,914.

Winx is so dominant she monopolises betting in her races. A TAB spokesman said that Winx has held an average of 92 per cent of the total Fixed Odds holds in her last three starts, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes back in autumn, and the Warwick Stakes and Chelmsford Stakes win this spring.

But Winx’s aura of invincibility is such that betting activity on her races is often considerably less than the average holds.

“In terms of bet numbers on Winx they are a lot lower because her price is so prohibitive,’’ leading Sydney bookmaker Grant Palmer said.

“But Winx is such a popular horse, she brings more people to the sport and that helps with betting turnover on other races that day. We call it the ‘halo effect’. We also find there is more people just putting a $ 1 win bet on Winx and keeping their ticket as a souvenir.’’

Rails bookmaker Rob Waterhouse said in the George Main Stakes, the runner he will hold the least number of bets is Winx.

“She is too short for most punters to back but what she is doing is attracting more people to the races,’’ Waterhouse said. “They come to watch Winx and then bet on other races so she is helping to stimulate betting.’’

Michael Sullivan of BlueBet said Winx has cost his business “several hundreds of thousands of dollars”. “We don’t have the big punters putting $ 500,000 on her like they did with Black Caviar but she has cost us plenty,’’ Sullivan said.

“I will keep laying her out of fear that one day she will get beaten and I won’t get my whack out of her. In case the miracle happens and she is beaten, I don’t want to be left behind.

“But I can’t see it happening — Winx is just too good and so is her jockey, Hugh Bowman. If something goes wrong in a race they are good enough to overcome it and still win.’’

Winx adapts and win just follows

WINX’S extraordinary ability to adapt to any situation during a race makes her virtually the complete racehorse.

That is why trainer Chris Waller won’t be burdening jockey Hugh Bowman with tactics going into the Group 1 George Main Stakes on Saturday.

“The beauty of Winx is to just let her be in her comfort zone and you know she will respond,’’ Waller said. “We know she has the ability to reel off very quick sectionals in the last part of her race. But if it is a strong gallop and they put the pressure on a long way out, she is good in those scenarios as well.

“Regardless of the situation, she is equally as effective and it is what makes Winx who she is. She is not unstoppable but a very good racehorse.’’

Red Excitement and jockey Josh Parr nearly produced a monumental upset in the Chelmsford Stakes two weeks ago when they raced away to a huge lead mid-race before Winx unleashed her phenomenal finish to reel in the leader.

Waller said Bowman will be prepared for the unexpected again today.

“I don’t think there is anyone that purposely tears a race apart to make things hard but you’ve got to respect other jockeys, trainers and owners giving instructions to ride their horses to the best of their abilities,’’ Waller said. “Everybody is trying to win and I respect that. It was just a little more noticeable last start.’’

Most speed maps have Red Excitement leading again and trying to break up the George Main Stakes field but Bowman is keeping an open mind about tactics until he studies how the track plays today.

“I don’t think they are reinventing the wheel to try to beat her,’’ Bowman said.

“Red Excitement the other day, they rode the horse to his strengths. Everyone is out there to win but I don’t think rival connections are trying to bring about her demise. It was a credit to Josh Parr and the horse to run the race they did.’’

Winx is $ 1.09 with TAB Fixed Odds to record her 20th consecutive win in the George Main Stakes. Happy Clapper is next in betting at $ 12 with Red Excitement $ 19.

Waller also has McCreery, Mackintosh and Foxplay going up against Winx today.

“McCreery was a little disappointing first-up but over a mile it suits him better and this race will have him right for the Epsom in two weeks,’’ Waller said. “Mackintosh was not really suited by the way the race was run first-up and I thought he ran really well. He finished off strongly and this race will toughen him up for the Hill Stakes over 1800m.

“Foxplay was a bit jaded for the first seven days after her second to Winx but she has been perfect since then and we gave her a trial going into the George Main Stakes.”

Waller has five runners in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) with bookies rating Antonio Giuseppe the pick at $ 3.50 favourite ahead of stablemate Life Less Ordinary ($ 4), Libran ($ 15), Who Shot Thebarman ($ 26) and Kinema ($ 41).

“Antonio Giuseppe ran really well behind Winx last start,’’ Waller said. “He is coming up nicely and 2000m suits him. This race will tell us a lot with Life Less Ordinary. He could be a serious (Cups) contender in the spring.

“I’ve got to say ‘The Barman’ looks great, he still loves it. He is an easier horse to work with now than he has ever been. He was a raving lunatic as a young horse. Libran went ‘good’ first-up and is not far behind where ‘The Barman’ is at, while Kinema is looking for further.’’

The Waller stable is favoured to snare a feature-race treble today with Epsom Handicap hopefuls Comin’ Through ($ 2.80) and Tom Melbourne ($ 2.90) dominating betting for the Group 3 $ 150,000 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m).

“I had Tom Melbourne in the ­George Main Stakes as well but I wanted to see which race he drew well in and that is why I have gone to the Bill Ritchie where he looks a great chance,’’ Waller said. “Comin’ Through was good first-up. It didn’t suit him leading so to see him fight on when he could have been a target was good. He is ready to go to the next level.’’