Hartnell preparing to give Winx a race

The difficulty of the task confronting Hartnell when he takes on Australia’s champion racehorse Winx at Randwick on Saturday is something with which he is familiar.

In five meetings, Winx has beaten the Godolphin runner five times, and is expected to make it six-from-six in the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes.

But trainer John O’Shea finds the prospect of again chasing Winx home neither daunting nor futile – and he certainly sees no reason to avoid the world’s best female racehorse.

The Chipping Norton is the second leg of an Autumn program that has Hartnell pitched against Winx in three of his four scheduled races, culminating in the A$4 million G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwickon April 8.

While the opportunity exists for Hartnell to dodge his arch-rival by running in the G1 Australian Cup in Melbourne, O’Shea has dismissed that option.

 “I’m sure he would start a dominant favourite in the Australian Cup and be very competitive,” O’Shea said.

“The thing about it is that there is the Ranvet Stakes, it’s a Group One worth similar money, here in Sydney a week later.

“Instead of going to Melbourne and maybe running into firm ground and then travelling back, it gives us a clear four weeks to the Queen Elizabeth.”

O’Shea believes Hartnell has been at a disadvantage each time he has met Winx, and is looking forward to the day when conditions suit his horse.

“We’ve never met her on a day when I thought we could beat her,” he said.

“If we got to 10 furlongs in the Queen Elizabeth at Randwick on a day when the track was rain affected, I think we can give Winx a competitive race. 

“I don’t think that’ll come till we get to the Queen Elizabeth. Hartnell is a very effective horse at 10 furlongs to a mile-and-a-half, Winx is very effective horse from six furlongs to a mile-and-a-quarter; he’s not effective at Moonee Valley, she’s dynamic there; she’s a champion and Hartnell’s just a really good horse.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to the Queen Elizabeth, 100 per cent right, fit, on a track that suits him. I’m sure he’ll give a very good account of himself.”

O’Shea is expecting Hartnell (Brenton Avdulla) to run well on Saturday.

“He’s probably carrying a little more condition than we would normally have on him. When he gets to the Ranvet in three weeks and moves up to 10 furlongs at Rosehill I’m sure he’ll be very effective.”

 O’Shea will also run Magic Hurricane in the Chipping Norton, having added blinkers to his gear.

“After this week he goes to the Skyline Stakes…. 10 furlongs at Rosehill which will really suit him. I expect to see the best of him then.”