Winx has finished her autumn preparation with another strong win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The champion mare has now claimed 17 consecutive wins and 12 Group 1 victories, amassing just under $13 million in prizemoney, second to only Makybe Diva (just over $14 million).
Travelling wide around midfield for much of the race, Winx moved up to her rivals coming to the turn and once again proved much too strong, running out a five and a quarter length winner over Hartnell in second with Sense Of Occasion third.
Winx, ridden by Hugh Bowman returned a Timeform figure of 130+, four pounds below her stunning victory in the George Ryder Stakes the start prior.
Whilst Winx usually peaks at her final run of the campaign, the George Ryder win on a very heavy track may have left her slightly jaded leading into the Queen Elizabeth and the slow early tempo may also have been against her.
The Chris Waller-trained runner became just the seventh mare to win the race since 1969, joining Lucia Valentina (2016), More Joyous (2012), Dinky Flyer (1987), Tristarc (1986), My Blue Denim (1981), Jandell (1975) and Lowland (1969).
In recent years, More Joyous returned a Timeform figure of 128 with Lucia Valentina running to 121 when winning last years renewal.
The highest rated winner of the race in the last 30 years is Might And Power who ran to 133 when beating Champagne by over ten lengths in 1998.
Winx joined a select few who have completed the Cox Plate – Queen Elizabeth double with Might And Power, Our Poetic Prince, Rising Prince, Battle Heights, Summer Regent and Tulloch achieving the feat.
Of those, only Our Poetic Prince, Summer Regent and Tulloch have done it in the same season.
Coming through the George Ryder Stakes, Winx also joined Lonhro (2003) as the only previous runner to win the George Ryder- Queen Elizabeth double in the same season in the last 30 years.
Of the beaten runners, Hartnell ran to 124, his highest rating since running second in the Apollo Stakes earlier in the year with Sense Of Occasion in third running to a clear new peak Timeform figure of 123?, a figure that he may find hard to repeat.
Another three-year-old classic was taken out by a New Zealand-trained runner with Bonneval producing a terrific effort off a fast tempo to win the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m).
Settling off the pace, Bonneval got to the line very strongly, running out a four-and-a-half length winner over Perfect Rhyme in second with Lasqueti Spirit hanging on for third after leading, fourth placed Harlow Gold a further seven lengths away.
Having won the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks the start prior, the Murray Baker-trained runner has now won five of her eight career starts and looms as a genuine staying prospect for the spring.
Bonneval ran to a clear new peak Timeform figure of 119, some nine pounds above her New Zealand Oaks win which puts her in very good company.
The daughter of Mafki, is the highest rated winner of the race since Royal Descent in 2013, also running to 119 with Mahaya the highest rated winner in the last 30 years running to 123 in 1993.
In the last 25 years, Bonneval is the only New Zealand Oaks winner to go on and win the Australian Oaks with 11 having tried previously.
Sofia Rosa, who took out the 2016 Australian Oaks came through the New Zealand Oaks (second) as did 2009 winner Daffodil (fourth).
Looking towards the feature staying races in the spring, Former New Zealand-trained runner Rising Romance ran to 116 when winning the 2014 Australian Oaks before running second to Admire Ratki in the 2014 Caulfield Cup running to 119.
Royal Descent also took a similar path and ran a close fifth to Fawkner in the 2013 Caulfield Cup, running up to her 119 achieved in the Oaks.
Should Bonneval line up in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) later in the year she is sure to be very competitive off the 119 achieved in the Oaks as shown by both Royal Descent and Rising Romance previously.
Of the beaten runners, Perfect Rhyme in second ran to 111 a clear new career peak.
Lasqueti Spirit who set a blistering early tempo did a very good job to stay on for third and ran to 110, her highest since running second to Winx in the Chipping Norton Stakes earlier in the year (114).
With the Sydney Cup abandoned mid race, the Coolmore Legacy (1500m) was the third and final Group 1 of the day which saw Foxplay prove too strong for her rivals, running our a half a length winner over Zanbagh in second with Dixie Blossoms third.
Foxplay returned a new career peak Timeform figure of 114, three pounds above her win in the Group 2 Furious Stakes last year.
Becoming just the eighth three-year-old to win against the older mares in the past 30 years, Foxplay is the lowest rated winner of the race since Ike’s Dream in 2005 who ran to 109.
The last three-year-old to win the race was Forensics in 2008 who ran to 120 with Mnemosyne in 2006 running to 122.
The win was Foxplay’s fifth of her career from 13 starts as she took her prizemoney past the $1 millions mark.
Both placegetters Zanbagh and Dixie Blossoms ran up to their recent form of 112 and 110 respectively.
