Hartnell back on track as Winx claims 11th G1

Godolphin’s highest-ranked Australian horse Hartnell indicated he was back to form with a strong second in Saturday’s G1 Ranvet Stakes behind Our Ivanhowe on a bottomless Rosehill track.

“I couldn’t have been more proud of him,” O’Shea said.

“The ground is bottomless and he’s still run a great race.”

The performance, which followed an eighth behind Winx in the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes three weeks ago, has encouraged O’Shea to continue on to next month’s G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick where he would again take on the champion filly.

But that plan could change if the Sydney tracks remain waterlogged.

“I’m more than happy with my decision to go to the Queen Elizabeth, even though Winx will be there,” he said.

“His performance yesterday was a top class performance on difficult ground and a good lead-up going into the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.”

On a day when Raiment snared a G3 victory in the Birthday Card Stakes for Godolphin at Rosehill, it was the world-champion mare Winx who stole all honours winning her 16th race on end and collecting the 11th G1 win of her career.

With the heavy track again her biggest danger, Winx rounded up a field of G1-class opponents with 300 metres to run and galloped away to win by 7-1/4 lengths.

Already equal with Arrogate in official world rankings before Saturday’s race, Winx threw down a challenge to the American horse who runs in next week’s Dubai World Cup.

“I’m truly moved by what she’s done today,” said trainer Chris Waller.

“There’s always a worry when the track’s as heavy as it was today, but she’s revelled in it.”

Rider Hugh Bowman was overwhelmed by a filly he said was in her “prime”.

“I feel like she is in the prime of her career, I expected more tempo early but I knew on the way to the barriers she meant business today,” Bowman said.

“My only worry is that I’m going to get on her, canter to the gates one day, and feel that engine just isn’t there.”

In yet another major success for a filly, She Will Reign ploughed through the Rosehill mud to win Australia’s premier juvenile race, the A$3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes.