GODOLPHIN’S gun open-age galloper AVILIUS tackles a hot field and some intriguing history when he resumes in the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) in Sydney.
The former Warwick Stakes was re-named after the great mare Winx won her third consecutive renewal of the race last year.
We’ve all heard the term – a good horse’s race – which is exactly what this race is.
Consider this.
Past winners of the Warwick Stakes include Tulloch, Kingston Town (three times), Super Impose (twice), Shaftsbury Avenue, Filante (twice), Sunline, Lonhro (twice) and of course, Winx (three times).
AVILIUS will be first-up at an unsuitable 1400-metres against some of Australia’s best WFA gallopers.
TABCORP has installed AVILIUS a $3.40 favourite ahead of the well-backed last start Australian Oaks winner VERRY ELEEGANT ($4.00) and amazing veteran HAPPY CLAPPER ($4.20).
The race doesn’t end there either.
Missile Stakes runner-up INVINCIBLE GEM ($13), quality mare UNFORGOTTEN ($11) and come-back galloper KINGS WILL DREAM ($12) all have genuine claims.
Since AVILIUS arrived in Australia after a short but impressive career in Europe, he has raced 11 times for a stunning eight wins – two of them at Group 1 level.
Godolphin’s head-trainer in Australia James Cummings has prepped the six-year-old gelding for this first-up Group 1 assignment with two solid trials at Rosehill.
He finished second in the first of those trials over 900-metres before impressively winning the second over 1000-metres on August 6.
Internationally regarded jockey Kerrin McEvoy will take the reins on AVILIUS.
The big question punters face on this Winx Stakes is “will AVILIUS have the leg speed to win first-up over 1400-metres?”
Australian trainers prepare horses differently to their counter-parts in Europe.
Traditionally stayers in Australia have been very competitive in relatively short WFA races early in their preparations, thus the list of winners includes many horses better at longer distances.
AVILIUS shapes as another stayer with the class and speed to win a race like this early in his Spring campaign.
His trial win at Rosehill on August 6 was ultra-impressive suggesting the horse has come back even better than he was in the autumn.
While we have great respect for HAPPY CLAPPER and the now mare VERRY ELLEGANT, AVILIUS looks to be in the right place at the right time.
Clearly the best roughie is the Kris Lees – trained INVINCIBLE GEM.
She flew home over 1200-metres first-up in the Missile Stakes when second to brilliant mare Alizee, and one would expect she’ll be fitter and better suited over a further 200-metres.
VERRY ELLEGANT will be strong late but may just lack the speed to win the race, while HAPPY CLAPPER is always tough to beat and is a three-time winner at the trip.
For mine AVILIUS will sprint brilliantly and win this race, stamping himself a genuine Cox Plate contender this Spring.
