FORMER Bathurst apprentice Hugh Bowman put Winx among Australia’s all-time legendary horses with a mammoth eight-length victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate.
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It was the second victory in a row for Bowman and Winx ($1.80) in Victoria’s premier weight-for-age race and it came in dominant fashion.
The race at Moonee Valley was expected to be a good battle between Winx and Hartnell but Chris Waller’s mare produced a run over the final 300 metres which will go down in history.
Hartnell ($5) and Yankee Rose ($13) were left to battle for the runner-up spot as Winx took the field apart.
"It was a lonely, but great ride," Bowman said of the dash down the final straight.
"[The track] has just played to horses coming around them. When I was able to secure Hartnell's hindquarters, all my worries disappeared.
"I just enjoyed the ride like everyone else.
"Not that I wanted him to fold, I knew he would take me to where I wanted to be. He couldn't take me far enough."
Bowman said he felt the pressure to perform in the bid for a second straight Cox Plate but was able to take plenty of energy away from the crowd’s support.
"She is a superior racehorse. It is just great honour to be a part of it.
"I felt [the pressure] when I came out onto the track and they clapped her under the tunnel. When they went up for her coming onto the racetrack, I became a bit emotional and had to regather myself.
"What that did was give me confidence because when I came to the track I thought we can't lose."
Vadamos dashed out to lead by almost four lengths prior to the midway point in Saturday’s race.
With the tempo raised Black Heart Bart came up to join the leader with just over 400 metres left to run.
However, a battle was brewing to the outside of the leading pair, one that a raucous crowd had come to see.
Winx and Hartnell, racing side-by-side, swamped the front runners as the field made their sweep around the final turn.
The battle didn’t last long.
With a turn of foot to behold Bowman and Winx bolted clear of the field to claim a historic victory.
The win puts Winx in elite company with other dual Cox Plate winners, such as So You Think, Northerly, Sunline and Phar Lap.
"For her to win like that, it's pretty fitting for the horse she is," Waller said.
"It is like a dream right now as simple as that."
"It's relief, a release, it's exhilaration," Owner Peter Tighe said.
"I can't believe what we just saw. I can dream about it. It's that special."
