Winx streaks into Chelmsford Stakes

Winx will face several familiar rivals when she attempts to win her 19th consecutive race in Saturday’s Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Australia.

A 6-year-old mare, Winx is part of a field of 12 in the $197,475 Chelmsford Stakes at a mile on turf. She will be closely watched at the start after breaking poorly in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes at Randwick on Aug. 19, her first start since May. Winx trailed the field by about four lengths early and rallied wide to win the seven-furlong race by a head, her narrowest margin of victory in 23 months.

In the Chelmsford Stakes, Winx is one of six runners trained by Chris Waller, who starts the 9-year-old gelding Who Shot the Barman. In February, Who Shot the Barman was third to Winx in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at a mile at Randwick. More recently, Who Shot the Barman was second in the Group 1 Sydney Cup at two miles on April 22.

Winx has been outstanding at a mile since her winning streak began in May 2015. During the 18-race streak, Winx has won at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 3/8 miles. She has won six of those races at a mile. Ten of the wins have been at Randwick.

Winx, considered the world’s highest-rated turf runner, has won five races this year. Her main goal this fall is a third consecutive win in the Group 1 Cox Plate at about 1 1/4 miles on turf at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Oct. 28. The Cox Plate is Australia’s top weight-for-age race.

On Saturday, Winx will be ridden by regular rider Hugh Bowman and starts from post 3.

The 4-year-old filly Lasqueti Spirit and 7-year-old gelding Sense of Occasion are two other runners who have chased Winx this year. Lasqueti Spirit was second in the Chipping Norton. Sense of Occasion was third to Winx in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 8 and later won the Group 1 Doomben Cup at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Doomben Racecourse in May.