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Record-breaking mare Winx has claimed her fourth-straight George Ryder Stakes with another dominant performance on Saturday at Rosehill.
- Winx started at the shortest odds of her career before winning a fourth George Ryder Stakes
- Follows remarks from her trainer that this will likely be her penultimate race
- Incredible winning streak includes 24 Group One Races
The Hugh Bowman-ridden horse breezed through the field coming off the bend at Rosehill, pulling away to win by three lengths from Brutal and Dreamforce.
On a track rated as a heavy-eight, Winx — who started at the shortest odds in her distinguished career — pulled level with Brutal, 300 metres from home on the straight.
The victory means the seven-year-old mare has extended her winning streak to an unprecedented 32 consecutive races, including an unprecedented 24 Group One races.
"She had them covered pretty early down the straight," part-owner Peter Tighe said.
"About half-way down the straight we were pretty confident that she was going to go on with it.
"She did what she does best and just put them all to the sword."
Winx also achieved the extraordinary feat of claiming four successive wins in three different Group One races, the other two races being the Cox Plate and Chipping Norton Stakes.
"There's not much you can say, she's just out of this world," Tighe said.
"She means the world to us … I'm glad that she does it, not just for us, but for everybody."
Trainer Chris Waller said earlier in the week that it was "very likely" that the race would be Winx's last at the western Sydney track, meaning this victory procession was something of a swansong for the mighty mare at the same track where she is stabled.
"When the crowd erupted I could feel the energy increase in her body. It was just so exciting," Bowman said of the crowd.
As such, Winx received a rousing reception from the crowd, who chanted "Winxy" as she was led in front of the grandstand.
"She's just a favourite, she's everyone's favourite," Tighe said.
Although yet to be confirmed by Waller, Winx's next race, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 13 at Randwick, will likely be her last.
Topics: sport, horse-racing, australia, nsw, rosehill-2142
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