Kementari to tackle world champion Winx in Doncaster lead-up

A combination of hope, reality and purpose will accompany Godolphin’s star Australian colt Kementari into his meeting with the world champion filly Winx in the G1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday, 24 March.

The George Ryder represents a tremendous challenge for Kementari (Brenton Avdulla), a last-start winner of the G1 Randwick Guineas, for his trainer James Cummings and for the Godolphin team.

But Cummings has kept his hopes and expectations in check, focussing more heavily on the colt’s major target, the A$3 million G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick on Saturday, 7 April.

“We have our feet firmly on the ground when it comes to appreciating how far behind Winx he is when it comes to achievement and world rankings,” Cummings said.

“We expect our colt to run well, and like everybody else, we also look forward to seeing Winx step out.”

While Winx, the winner of her past 23 races, 16 of them at G1, reigns supreme in the world thoroughbred order, she has rarely been challenged by a horse with Kementari’s combination of youth and ability.

“He’ll go to races prepared to run well, but we have no pressure on the horse to beat Winx,” Cummings.

“It’s simply the run he needs to get to the Doncaster and we’ll be more than proud if he could just race up to Winx and make things interesting. We’re happy to saddle him up.”

Kementari produced a peak performance in the Guineas on Saturday, 10 March while Winx also scored a dominant victory at her latest outing, taking out the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes by seven lengths.

Since his latest win Kementari has worked brilliantly at Osborne Park.

“We couldn’t be happier with the way Kementari has come out of the Randwick Guineas. He galloped beautifully on Tuesday morning and just sailed to the line under his own steam,” his trainer said.

As much as Kementari and Winx dominate discussion on the Ryder, the last start G1 winner Happy Clapper also joins the battle in great form and is one of six acceptors for the race.

Happy Clapper, a son of Teofilo, also completes a proud treble in the Ryder for Darley whose stallions also sired Kementari (Lonhro) and Winx (Street Cry)

Should Winx win again on Saturday, she will break the world record for G1 wins by a flat horse that she now shares at 16 with the American great, John Henry.