Winx, an Australian thoroughbred owned by Magic Bloodstock Racing, R G Treweeke & D N Kepitis, holds the distinction of winning a stunning 29 races in a row, dating from 16th May 2015 – the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Oaks to the Group 1 Cox Plate on 27th October 2018. In fact 22 of those races were Group 1 races, a record in its own right. Sh’es picked up various accolades as she goes (such as being inducted into the Australia Racing Hall of Fame).
Winx was bred by Fairway Thoroughbred in Australia and sold for $230,000 as a yearling in 2013. This surely has to now be seen as bargain of the century being that her current prize money total is almost $23,000,000 AU.
Winx’ career had got off to a flying start with three wins, but the next two years proved to be a bit more of a grind. It was mid 2015 when the mare really got into her stride with this winning streak that continues today. Group one races won during this period include the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Australian Oaks and Cox Plate. The latter of which she won for a record fouth time in 2018 leading to CNN calling her a ‘Superstar Mare’ and ‘one of the greatest racehorses of all time’.
Such is the reputation of Winx that the Warwick Stakes was renamed to the Winx Stakes in her honour when she ran it in August 2018. Predictably Winx won the race, collecting $500,000 prize money in the process. It’s unsurprising that Winx is the leading earner in Australasian history. She’s also number one in the current Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (October 2018) ahead of Gun Runner (US), Poet’s Word (IRE) and Crystal Ocean (GB).
With jockey Hugh Bowman on board for all but two of the current amazing run, he appreciates the magnitude of the moment. “I’m just proud to be part of this amazing story” he said, following the fourth record Cox Plate win. Even trainer of beaten Benbatl, Saeed bin Suroor called Winx ‘the best of the best’ following the win.