There could be few excuses for beaten horses after Winx gave the Cox Plate field the slip approaching the old north hill, the result was then a foregone conclusion.

Aided by a perfect barrier draw Winx was no further back than sixth at any stage of the race, when the leader, The Cleaner, began to weaken coming away from the fence, that was the sign for Hugh Bowman to get busy with an explosive burst of speed, the mare had the race safely in her keeping within a few strides.

Nothing took any ground from her in the run to the judge, the winning margin left few excuses for any of the beaten brigade.

When Chris Waller was sorting out riders for his three runners in the Cox Plate, there was no hesitation from Bowman, he responded knowing how good she was after winning the Epsom Handicap on her.

Winx winning the Cox Plate

Her previous eight wins had yielded $ 1,779,925 in prize money, her stake earnings since the C ox Plate win have increased to $3,579,925.

Waller didn’t wait about for any celebration, preferring to fly to Sydney with his wife, to be with their children, he is very much a family man.

Winx is a Magic Millions graduate having been bred by John and Debbie Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds, she was purchased by Peter Tighe’s Magic Bloodstock for $230,000 from a Coolmore Stud draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Sales on the Gold Coast.

The Camilleri’s, John and Debbie, are no strangers to breeding a good racehorse, they bred the Golden Slipper Stakes success, Vancouver.

Winx is by the ill fated Street Cry, an international sire success from Vegas Showgirl, she was purchased as a breeding prospect for $455,000, from Dormello Stud at the 2008 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, by Colm Santry Bloodstock, on behalf of the Camilleri family.

All the marks were with the winner Winx, maybe Criterion was a bit stiff missing the start, but he was not ever going to trouble the winner.

Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman after the Cox Plate

Fawkner’s run was only fair at best, he seems to have slipped off the radar a bit, he is not putting two runs together as previously.

The Cleaner had to work hard to get to the front, and when he did he virtually had run his race, he is best at 1600 metres, he cannot get much further in that company.

Highland Reel was quite impressive, he was running third for most of the trip, never looked a winner, but still a good honest run.

As for Happy Trails, he never looked a chance at any stage of the race, however, being a perennial he will be back, it wouldn’t be the same without him.