If Winx ever had any doubters, surely they have been silenced now after her demolition performance in winning the Doncaster Handicap.

She is a genuine champion; she looked well and truly beaten on the home turn, even her trainer, Chris Waller, admitted to that, it was among the most amazing performances at Randwick in a long time.

And the best of all came through this morning; she would not be running in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday next.

She has done enough for the present and now can rest on her laurels, she has well earned her break, she will get the remainder of the good autumn and return to the stable before the winter sets in, and then prepare for her principle target, the Cox Plate, at Moonee Valley in springtime.

Chris Waller can be applauded for his decision, you can take the pitcher to the well once too often, and regret it for much of your life thereafter.

It will be difficult to assess Winx among the great mares of the past, she is a champion without any shadow of a doubt, however, where she would sit among the best mares to race is a difficult one to digest, let’s wait untiI the spring.

The half brother to Winx was purchased at the Easter Sales by Gai Waterhouse, for $2.3 million today.

Petits Filous was back to her brilliant best at Caulfield on Saturday winning the Jack Elliott Handicap.

This is her second preparation, she was unbeaten in her first four starts last time in against her own age, the only defeat was against the open age horses in the Moir Stakes at Group1 won, Buffering.

She was back in her comfort zone on Saturday, bouncing out of the gate leading al thel way and never in danger of defeat at any stage of the journey.

There seems no doubt that she will get 1200 metres, but after that it could be stretching it a bit.

She will take races as they come along, there is nothing definite in mind, connections were pleased to see her return to winning form.

Leading apprentice from New Zealand, Michael Dee, looks like he will settle in Melbourne he gave the filly a good ride, she was under double wraps coming to the home turn.

He never really rode the filly right out, as she was never in any danger of defeat, she won by a length.

Grey Street is proving consistent, she finished solidly without looking a winner, there could be another race for her before she goes for a spell.

Both the winner, Petits Filous and Grey Street, are by Street Boss, he shuttles each season from America to Australia and back.

The Big Dance is giving her trainer, Danny Curran, a few headaches, she has been giving in before the home turn after being prominent each time.

Jalan Jalan turned in a good run, her first start since August when she ran second to Petits Filous in the Quezette Stakes, she is sure to be improved by the run.

Petits Filous ridden by Michael Dee

Jockey Falls

Daniel Stackhouse took a heavy fall at Stawell on Monday when he was dislodged from Ruby Downs in the second race, a Maiden Handicap, and admitted to the Stawell and District Hospital.

He has since been taken to the Alfred Hospital to undergo further tests concerning his chest.

Stakehouse, a former New Zealander, rode successfully on the flat, and over the jumps, before joining the stable of Peter Moody.

He rode four or five winners in quick succession for the Moody, and has also been free lancing with quite some success.

Oakbank numbers declining

The future of jumping races at Oakbank has to be seriously considered, when final acceptances were taken for the two jumping races, 20 horses had accepted, that has since been halved again, now there are just five horses in each of the two races.

Very disappointing for the race club that is riding on a knife’s edge, jumps racing are dying a slow death.

Warrnambool is now the only worthwhile carnival, surviving Hamilton, Casterton and Coleraine were formerly two day fixtures, now reduced to one day, not worthwhile for people who have to travel up from Melbourne, plus the dates are Sundays.

Racing has lost a well known and popular figure with the passing of Jim (Skippy) Meek yesterday.

He was a regular figure around Caulfield having been born nearby; he didn’t wander far from home.

His brothers Bill, Frank (Snowy) and Jack were all horses trainers at some stage of their lives, Jim preferred to work for a regular wage.

Jim joined the stable of Mick Crossey who was a very shrewd trainer, and a big punter, he often caught bookmakers napping, and they paid dearly for it, the scars were quite visible.

Crossey had two great money spinners in the stable, you didn’t need any more, Sir Romeo and Naval Revue, seldom let him down.

With the tracks closed on Sundays, Jim would walk both horses from Caulfield to Brighton Beach and back for a swim.

From there he spent quite some as a track watcher, clocking horses in particular for leading trainers, Angus Armanasco and Geoff Murphy, between the trio they built up a good friendship.

Jim won popularity with his column in the mid-week Sporting Globe, under the non de plume of Skippy, after Skipton, the last colt to win the Derby – Cup double, trained by Jack Fryer, in Roseberry Grove where Jim once lived.

Jim was a member of the Bourke Street Boys, arranged by Rod Johnson, we lunch at Young and Jackson’s after the Cox Plate, we will miss Jim and the stories, above all his sincerity .

When Craig Williams was catapulted out of the saddle of Noble Protector, at the start of the Schweppervescence Trophy at Flemington, the mare continued along with the field ahead of the actual winner, Felicienne, crossing the line first.

A similar incident occurred 77 years ago in the 1939 Melbourne Cup, when the riderless Ortelle’s Star reached the line before the winner, Rivette.

Ortelle’s Star parted company with Fred de Valle as the field travelled up the riverside course.

She had finished third the previous year to Catalogue and Bourbon, when ridden by Scobie Breasley.

Half Brother Has Talent

El Divino, a half brother to Winx, led his rivals a merry dance at Gosford earlier this week, when winning over 1000 metres in the smart time of 58.97 seconds, scoring by five lengths.

His half sister, Winx, is a warm favourite to win the $1million George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill tomorrow.

This could be a good result for breeders, as Segenhoe will offer a full brother to El Divino at the Easter Sales.

Better Loosen Up will always be remembered as a great racehorse, he passed away just opposite the Melbourne Airport at Living Legends, a caring institution for retired geldings, as entires and mares have a life thereafter for stud purposes.

He was a great favourite with the staff, he answered to the name of Blue, he shared a paddock with the Caulfield Cup winner, Paris Lane, until his death at 30 years of age.

Better Loosen was bred by Howard Martin at Berrigan, from the mating of the American bred Loosen Up, a son of Never Bend, at Len Rhodes stud Corowa, to the Better Boy mare, Better Fantasy, she produced 16 foals, 10 raced 7 were winners.

While being broken in by Les Theodore he developed Ross River Fever and was on a drip for six weeks, he nearly died, and possibly would have, except for the expertise of Bob Knight of Popular Arm fame, who supplied ingredients that saved the life of Better Loosen Up.

Connections were well rewarded when he won at Bendigo, it was his second start in a race, he was ridden by Ron Burgess, bookmakers were hit to the boundary, he was backed in from 7-1 to even money, with Bendigo being a very strong ring at that time, led by the late Roy Hayes and Joe Arblaster.

Better Lossen Up eventually graduated to weight for age, he was the proven master at that stage of his career in the early nineties, besides the numerous weight for age races; he won the Cox Plate and Japan Cup.

The key to Better Loosen Up was he conserved his energy like no horse I’ve known, every lap of the mounting yard his head was closer to the ground, David Hayes almost had to wake him up for the jockey to mount. Was he a champion? Well if he wasn’t, I haven’t seen one.