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By Brad Gray
At Rosehill Guineas

In 1993, Chris Waller strapped a horse on Golden Slipper day. It was the day Bint Marscay won the rich two-year-old feature. In a rare moment of reflection after Winx had just won her record breaking 17th Group One in the $1m The Agency George Ryder Stakes (1500m), he said he remembered it like yesterday.

Waller admitted he hadn’t had the chance to look back on Winx’s career just yet but once her decorated career comes to a close, he’ll have time to sit down and think. It was much the same with Peter Moody and Black Caviar.

The win also saw the six-year-old smash the $17 million mark in prizemoney.

Winx does it again!

“It’s pretty special, I try not to get too caught up in it,” said Waller, “I like everybody else who is a racing or sporting tragic have to be pretty proud of her today.”

It wasn’t the seventh length romp Winx won the race in last year, in fact, the winning margin back to Happy Clapper back less than a length and Kementari not far away in third. Hugh Bowman still had a couple of gears up his sleeve but Waller admitted to feeling the nerves half way down the straight.

“I was a little bit concerned when I knew Happy Clapper won so well first up and he’s a horse we have so much respect for and Kementari not just winning the Randwick Guineas but winning the two lead ups as well,” said Waller.

It’s a sea of blue to watch Winx chase a world record breaking 17th Group One! #GoWinx pic.twitter.com/D0yrLzdQTa

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 24, 2018

“They are two quality horses and it was good for her today, it did make her stretch, it made her lift and I think that was perfect for where we are heading the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in three weeks’ time.”

It was a sea of blue cheering the wonder mare home in her 24th straight win and although she was made to work for it, the result, as we’ve come to expect, was a formality.

“I could feel the crowd erupt as we went to the front at the 200m,” Bowman gushed, “And a world record, what a special, special horse she is and I’m just so grateful to be her jockey.”

“Each horse is an individual but this horse has captivated the attention of the world, she really has and congratulations to in his management of her and the owners with their patience early on.

“It was a bit of a tactical race, there was no pressure early. I actually never went in behind Brenton [Kementari] because I could just feel I was getting away from them a bit.”

A champion’s reception. @HugeBowman returns on @winx_horse after the George Ryder Stakes @rosehillgardens pic.twitter.com/2hNxZZlKfe

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 24, 2018

Pat Webster said it’d be an easy couple of weeks for Happy Clapper with the next stop The Star Doncaster Mile on the first day of The Championships.

“He was giving plenty of cheek,” Pat Webster said, “You dare to dream don’t you”.

Blake Shinn added, “It was an amazing run again. Running into Winx is a bit hard to swallow. He’s put his heart and soul into every run. It was a great run. Bring on the Doncaster.”

Webster went on to concede how hard it would be for Happy Clapper to beat Kementari in The Doncaster with the weight swing and Avdulla concurred upon dismounting.

“I saved him for a dash up and he was beaten two lengths by the mighty mare. He meets Happy Clapper a lot better at the weights. He only gets 51.5kg. It’ll take a good horse to beat him,” Avdulla said.

Kementari remains $4 favourite for The Doncaster while Happy Clapper firmed from $8 into $5.

Check out the replays and results for Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens