WINX’S spring break comes to an end on Monday as she enters pre-training in New South Wales. ”I’ve been out to see her and she looks great,” said Chris Waller. “It’s probably the best she has been in the paddock in her career, so that’s a good starting point.”

While non-committal on her main goals in the coming autumn, Waller has said Winx will follow the same path she has taken for the past two years; running the Apollo Stakes (1,400 metres, February 17th), the Chipping Norton Stakes (1,600m at Randwick, March 3rd) and the George Ryder Stakes (1,500m at Rosehill, March 24th). The George Ryder is the key race, after which the Winx team will decide whether to travel the Street Cry six-year-old internationally or stay in Australia. “I want her at her best, her very best, if she is going overseas to represent Australia,” added Waller.

GINGERNUTS OUT OF DANGER

Quick thinking from jockey Michael Dee when he jumped off Gingernuts as soon as he felt a false stride undoubtedly saved the horse from greater injury as the pair were making their way to post for the Emirates Stakes on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Having been successfully operated on Gingernuts has since proved a model patient and now looks to be out of the danger zone.

“Great news to report today that Jerry has been discharged from hospital to a specialist rehab farm nearby,” the tweet from Te Akau Racing read. “The team at Werribee was world-class and together with his owners, we will remain indebted to them always for helping save our special boy.”

Unfortunately the same does not apply to the one-time favourite for the Caulfield Cup, Admire Deus, who has lost his his life having suffered a severe injury to the ligaments in the lower part of his near-fore suspensory just days out from the Cup. Admire Deus was one of three internationals to go amiss during the spring with Godolphin’s Francis Of Assisi suffering a suspected fractured pelvis and subsequently retired, while the Willie Mullins-trained Riven Light underwent surgery on a fracture to a joint on his off-fore.