Global Weekly Preview: ‘Winx-mania’ starts up again Down Under

With wintry conditions interrupting racing and training in parts of Europe and North America, the global spotlight remains firmly on Australasia as well as Dubai.

An excellent meeting at Meydan on Thursday produced several horses with ambitions of making an impact in key races leading up to Dubai World Cup night on Saturday, 31 March. 

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Winter Lightning made a favourable impression with a gritty win in the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial, while the Charlie Appleby-trained Comicas made up a lot of ground to take the G3 Dubawi Stakes.  

It is not hard to see this pair winning again in coming weeks, and the same could be said of Salsabeel, who completed a Godolphin treble in a decent handicap at the end of the night. 

Believe it or not, Australian racing fans are currently getting excited, not about a big race on the horizon, but a barrier trial at Rosehill, Sydney, on Monday. 

More words will be written and spoken about what amounts to a glorified dress rehearsal than any other race Down Under in the next seven days.

The reason? It marks the first public reappearance this year of champion mare Winx, who landed her third consecutive G1 Cox Plate at Mooney Valley in October.

Barrier trials, as such, are not real races. Jockeys are not obliged to push or ride out their mounts during the trial. They can even drop out at any stage, if they so wish.

Chris Waller, Winx’s trainer, is a great believer in trials, as he says it is good to get a horse away from home, get the adrenaline pumping, but without all the pressures associated with raceday.

What makes Monday’s trial interesting is that Redzel, recent winner of The Everest at Randwick, will reappear in the same heat. 

But I don’t expect a battle or an all-out attempt by either to ‘win.’ More likely, each will go to the line on the bridle, having made up ground in the home straight. 

For the top racing action Down Under this weekend — the real racing — turn to Trentham, Wellington, for the G1 Telegraph Stakes, over 1200m, in which the brilliant Volpe Veloce will attempt to follow up her gutsy G1 Railway victory on New Year’s Day.

On the New Zealand card, 12 runners line up for the G1 Thorndon Mile, in which Love Affair, Hiflyer and Savile Row are the main contenders.