Winx draws perfectly for George Main Stakes

THE punters say Winx is unbeatable in the $500,000 Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday and Ace High’s trainer David Payne can’t argue.

“They could only beat her if she fell down,” he said.

“She’s so much more superior to anything around at the moment.”

Winx firmed from $1.15 to $1.10 after the final field of eight was announced on Tuesday and a massive 99.33 per cent of the single bets in TAB’s all-in market were put on the champion.

Four of her Chris Waller-trained stablemates, Who Shot Thebarman, Egg Tart, Religify and Unforgotten, are among the acceptors for Saturday’s 1600-metre race.

Le Romain, Ace High and It’s Somewhat make up the rest of the field to tackle Winx who has won the race for the past two years.

There has already been several bets of $5000 and $8000 on Winx to stretch her winning streak to 27, but expect the bets to rise in amount as the week goes on.

She is set to start at her shortest price since she was sent out at $1.08 for the same race in 2016, not that Payne is too fazed by it all.

“I’ve been in the game too long to worry about racing against her,” he said.

“They say there’s no certainties in racing but, on paper, it certainly looks like she is.

“The owners are keen to run Ace High against her even though we can’t beat Winx but if we could run second it adds value to him as a stallion, being a Group 1 race.”

Chelmsford Stakes winner Unforgotten attracted a $30 bet to beat Winx, while two punters put $20 on Ace High to beat the great mare in TAB's all-in market.

“The shortest price Winx has jumped with TAB was in this race in 2016 at $1.08,” TAB’s Gerard Middleton said. “She could well eclipse that this week with more than 99 per cent of the hold so far on the great mare.”

Last year’s VRC Derby winner Ace High put in an unusually poor run to the eye first-up when last of 11 to the champion mare in the Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 18.

“If you look at the sectionals they weren’t that bad, so it was just one of those days where he got too far back,” Payne said. “He wasn’t finishing off that bad.”

He bounced back with a tremendous run in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) after overcoming a wide run throughout to run 1 ¼ lengths behind Unforgotten in second.

“He’s pulled up well and is happy so he’s on track for the George Main,” Payne said.

“He was excellent last start. He covered so much ground, the poor bugger, and was entitled to drop out so I’m happy with his progress.

“If he didn’t run well last start we would have had to look at our spring plans.”

Jason Collett takes over from regular rider Tye Angland, who was already booked to ride Sydney Cup winner Who Shot Thebarman for Chris Waller.

Payne will run Ace High in the Hill Stakes and Craven Plate in Sydney before heading south again for another big-race tilt.

“We’ve been looking to the Melbourne Cup for a long time now,” he said.

The field for Group 2 The Shorts will feature nine runners headlined by four confirmed The Everest runners in Redzel, English, Invincible Star and Brave Smash. Favourite Redzel was untroubled winning the Concorde Stakes last start and will jump from barrier three.

Meanwhile, Chris Waller has all but ruled out a Caulfield Cup start for Unforgotten, confirming the mare will be aimed at the Epsom Handicap before any plans are made for Melbourne.

Waller is hoping to gain a Caulfield Cup start with Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar, who is 30th in the elimination order for the race.

The trainer also revealed classy three-year-old Performer would bypass the Golden Rose and be freshened-up for the Roman Consul Stakes at Randwick on October 6 before lining up in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on November 3.

Run To The Rose winner Lean Mean Machine is a definite starter in the Golden Rose, while stablemates The Autumn Sun and Zousain are also a chance of racing in the Group 1 race.