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By Ray Hickson

With an honour roll featuring some of the greats of Australian racing, not just the champion it’s now named after, the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) is the first major of the 2020/21 season and promises to be a taste of what’s to come.

Previously known as the Warwick Stakes, it was renamed after the incomparable Winx in 2018 at its first running at Group 1 level and in that year she won her third straight renewal by a comfortable two lengths.

If you want to go right back in time, the great Phar Lap was beaten by Amounis in the 1930 edition but the likes of Flight, Bernborough, Tulloch, Kingston Town (three times), Super Impose (twice) and more recently Sunline, Lonhro (twice), Private Steer and Racing To Win all have their names etched in history.

It’s generally a good race for favoured runners though last year saw one of the biggest upsets in the last 30 years when Samadoubt ($31) led all the way and held off Happy Clapper and Invincible Gem. Back in 2005 Sir Dex won the race at $41. The shortest priced winner was Winx ($1.10) in 2017.

But those prices pale in comparison to the 1987 edition which that produced one of the longest priced winners in Australian racing when Pablo's Pulse scored at 500/1. He and Anntelle (Canterbury 1982) are the longest priced winners on record.

Samadoubt wins the 2019 Winx Stakes

Who are the major contenders in the 2020 edition?

Verry Elleegant (Chris Waller) – Outstanding mare with three Group 1 wins to her name at 2000m and 2400m. She’s yet to win first-up and ran ninth in this race last year on a good 4 track as a $5 chance and fourth in the Apollo Stakes, also 1400m, in the autumn on a soft 7 as a $9 chance. A look at her recent barrier trial suggests she’s come back in good order, a little more settled than we’re used to seeing, and a soft to heavy track would play into her hands and perhaps offset some doubts over her first-up record.

Master Of Wine (Team Hawkes) – One of the rising stars of the turf with a rare versatility that makes him dangerous regardless of the distance range. He showed that in the autumn winning at 1400m first-up then going straight to 2000m for another win before being thrown in the deep end in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes a month later where he was outstanding in running fourth behind Addeybb. His recent trial was pleasing and the soft ground makes him a real threat.

The Bostonian (Tony Pike) – Classy Kiwi whose last nine starts have been in Australia where he’s recorded three Group 1 wins including the Canterbury Stakes back in the autumn. He ran a close second to Dreamforce in the George Ryder Stakes at his last run and we haven’t seen him in a public trial, though that isn’t unusual for him. He’s won six of seven when first-up and has seven wins from 12 starts on soft and heavy ground and that keeps him on the radar.

Melody Belle (Jamie Richards) – This Kiwi mare has racked up more Group 1 wins than any of her rivals with 10 to her name but it’s fair to say the head is scratching working out how to assess her first-up run in the Missile Stakes. It was her first start at 1200m for 12 months and she missed a place in that race too, though she ran fourth of 12 there, before winning second-up at 1400m. Her closing 200m sectionals in the Missile were equal best of the race, she’s hard to write off but tough to get too keen on as well.

Verry Elleegant (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Fierce Impact (Matthew Smith) – A dual Group 1 winner at a mile at handicap level, he made the move to weight-for-age in the autumn with a couple of Group 1 placings and is generally a consistent performer in the 1400m-2000m range. He was narrowly beaten by Kolding first-up last spring and again went under by a small margin at 1400m in the Orr Stakes in the autumn, he’s trialling well and another solid fresh performance can be expected.

Dreamforce (John Thompson) – Strong on pacer who claimed his first Group 1 with an all the way win in the George Ryder back in March. His record says he’s very effective fresh, particularly when he steps out at the 1400m. It took Alizee to get the better of him first-up in the autumn as he ran second in the Apollo Stakes and he’s had the benefit of two trials. If he has a weakness it could be striking a heavy track first-up but the Apollo was run on a soft 7.

Con Te Partiro (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott) – Remarkable US bred mare who posted two Group 1 wins in the autumn taking out the feature mares majors the Coolmore Classic and Queen Of The Turf. In her few Australian preparations her first-up record is a little mixed, she won a Group 3 at Scone in 2019 and was unplaced in her two other fresh attempts though beaten 0.7 and three lengths. Trialling well and a wet track is of no concern to her.

Early betting (as at Monday 2.45pm):
$5 Verry Elleegant
$6 Master Of Wine
$8 Melody Belle, Funstar (doubtful), The Bostonian
$11 Dreamforce, Fierce Impact, Flit
$15 Avilius, Brandenburg, Con Te Partiro, Imaging
$26 Kolding, Mister Sea Wolf, Prague, Quackerjack, Star Of The Seas, Zebrowski
$35 Niccanova
$51 Wolfe

Other stats (last 30 years, race not run in 2007 due to Equine Influenza):

Age, winners (last win):
3yos – 2 (Trusting 2009)
4yos – 3 (Sunline 1999)
5yos – 9 (Winx 2016)
6yos – 8 (Samadoubt 2019)
7yos – 5 (Winx 2018)
8yos – 1 (Veyron 2013)

Favourites – 13 wins

Barrier – 4 (6 wins)

First-up – 21; Second-up - 7; Third-up – 1.

Mares – 7 (Winx 2016-17-18, Royal Descent 2015, Private Steer 2004, Sunline 1999, What Can I Say 1998)

Current trainers: Chris Waller 5; Peter Snowden 2, John Hawkes 2, John O’Shea 2.

Current jockeys: Hugh Bowman 5, Tim Clark 2, Kerrin McEvoy 2, Glyn Schofield 1, Glen Boss 1.

All the entries, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting