CHRIS Waller surprised many last week when he announced that Winx would start in next Saturday’s Turnbull Stakes (October 7th). It will be the first time Winx has raced at Flemington and her final lead-up for the Cox Plate on October 28th.

“The sole reason for running here is simply based on the timing of the current programme, which will provide her with three weeks between runs from the George Main to the Turnbull and another three weeks into the Cox Plate for her fifth run of the campaign,” said Waller who said that the Cox Plate would be the ‘grand final’ of Winx’s current campaign before giving an insight into next autumn.

“I look forward to the autumn and a possible trip overseas but at this stage no decision on this will be made until after the George Ryder Stakes (March next year),” said Waller.

HEALTH

“Providing she is well, she will either run during The Championships in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and look to target a race during the Royal Ascot carnival or be freshened up subsequent to the George Ryder Stakes and be targeted towards a European campaign containing three races over a range of distances.”