In most racing centres it would have gone largely unnoticed.

But in the often intense atmosphere of Australian racing, the appearance of Winx, the nation’s best racehorse, in a training gallop went live on national television, was followed by a lengthy press conference and dominated social media.

Winx is more than a local phenomenon. She’s the highest-rated turf horse and the highest-rated mare in the world.

As such, almost every step she takes is chronicled.

At Rosehill on Tuesday morning the daughter of Darley’s ill-fated stallion Street Cry ran in a 900 metre barrier trial that no-one expected her to win.

She duly finished third, delighting both her trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman.

“She’s right on song,” Waller said.

“I’m very happy with this morning’s workout. She’ll have one more trial to settle her nerves and makes sure everything is working right and then it’ll be back to business.”

Winx has won 17 of her 23 races, the last 13 in succession and has amassed A$9.3-million in racetrack earnings.

And Waller is supremely confident she will improve on that record this Autumn.

“I’ve got the right horse, it’s just a matter of keeping her the way she is and she’ll keep winning,” he said.

Winx is set to resume racing in the G2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick on February 11, beginning a program to be completed by the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes, the G1 George Ryder Stakes and the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a race in which she is likely to meet Godolphin’s Hartnell, the only horse to seriously challenge her last Spring.

The pre-Autumn barrier trial circuit moves to Warwick Farm next Monday with Godolphin’s star colt Astern due to have a hit out, along with fellow three-year-old’s Impending and Bezel.