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By Brad Gray
At Royal Randwick

Watching Hugh Bowman push Winx along at the 300m mark in the $500,000 Group One Colgate Optic White Stakes (1600m), there was no way she was going to win by four lengths. But she did.

The wonder mare collected her 27th straight and won her 20th Group One. The winning sequence sounds even more impressive as three and a half years.

No words... #GoWinx pic.twitter.com/RnjDfbRuf8

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 15, 2018

“To have 27 races you have to go through intense work 27 times. You’ve got to bring a horse to the races 27 times, you’ve got to get her home 27 times,” reflected Chris Waller.

“That’s quite remarkable and she can only do it because of her ability. It’s impossible what she is doing and what Black Caviar did, and how Makybe Diva won three Melbourne Cups. It’s just heroic.”

If Winx’s last 200m looked dominant to the eye, the numbers certainly back that up. Punters Intel reveals she rattled home in 11.08s, which was two lengths faster than the next best Egg Tart, who ran third. And Le Romain? A whopping 4.5 lengths quicker. He was brave running second though and for a moment, just a moment, looked like he could give her a run for a money.

“I thought I pinched it then I thought Winx is in the race. He’s gone very well,” Le Romain’s jockey James McDonald quipped.

Job done! 20 Group 1s, 27 wins in a row. What a champ! #GoWinx pic.twitter.com/UCWVfTI0Dy

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 15, 2018

Hugh Bowman believes Winx goes into a kind of auto pilot now that has done has been so dominant for so long.

“I used to control her through the gears, through the race, to help her know when and where to give her full energy but she knows now. I suppose I have got to learn with her and understand, and I am learning with her, but it’s the first time I have niggled her around the corner in a 1600m race,” said Bowman.

“Le Romain ran a hell of a race and at the corner, I didn’t feel in danger, but I didn’t feel like she was going to be as dominant as she usually is but when that turbo kicked into gear at the 250m it was all over.

“We’ll be lucky to see another one like her, while I’m alive anyway, I think that is a given. How lucky I am to be involved with such a horse.”

Waller is in awe of the mare just as much as anyone.

Chris Waller enjoying a rare moment of peace ahead of Winx running #GoWinx pic.twitter.com/dreLM3NqBM

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 15, 2018

“I turn up at the races and know just as much as you,” he said, “I don’t see her run blistering times. I don’t see her put 10 lengths on Egg Tart in a track gallop. I don’t see her do anything special and everyone sees as much as I do so I am desperately waiting for that last 200m to see the power go into her races.”

“You see as much as I see and that’s a pretty special thing to share with you all. It keeps going to a new level every time. She is a superstar.”

Check out the replays and results for Royal Randwick.