‘It’s a sick feeling in your guts every time’: Waller in awe of Winx

Racing is about winning, which makes Winx its ultimate machine. But, in reality, there’s more losing than winning involved in the sport of kings.

The seven-year-old marvel will take on seven rivals – which will most likely go home without a 1 next to their name – in Saturday’s Apollo Stakes at Randwick, where she will be looking for a 30th consecutive victory.

She’s back: Winx will shoot for a 30th straight victory in the Apollo Stakes Credit:aap

Winning is expectation for Winx. Losing would be more monumental than another victory now.

The tales of making your fortune from a win are as old as the sport itself. Remember, ‘Harrison, who made his pile when Pardon won the cup’ in The Man From Snowy River.

They can be one-offs or a series of big successes that make a great story. But there has never been a tale to match Winx.

However, the idea that every win brings defeat closer is real for owners and in particular trainer Chris Waller.

"It's a sick feeling in your guts every time she goes around," he said last year. "The intensity is just unexplainable.

"I don’t know why, or if it is just me? You enjoy the after part of the race, crossing the line.

“You have that sense of responsibility not to go crazy and make sure you are fully respecting your competition and where she is at in her career.”

Waller has programmed Winx for the past five years to win. That is always the goal. It doesn't always happen.

But as the streak has grown the pressure and the spotlight has become brighter to the point where a track gallop attracted more than 1000 admirers.

Peter Tighe, Debbie Kepitis and Richard Treweeke share their ownership with the world these days. Like Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman, they have grown up with racing and have had their share of slow ones and good ones.

Kepitis is just in awe of Winx.

“We get to share her with everyone,” she said. “When you are in racing for a long time you get conditioned and seasoned to losing. It is a big part of the sport.

“It hasn’t happened with her for so long. That’s amazing.

Twilight: After 29 consecutive victories, Winx is nearing the end of her incredible racing career.Credit:AAP

“But every time we go to the races we are prepared for it. You have to be and you have to be respectful of the others' horses. It is a relief when she wins now.”

Kepitis grew up in the shadow of the Ingham empire that dominated racing after her father Bob graduated from the trots.

“I remember as a kid you had to be quiet on Friday night [for the trots] and for the scratchings on the radio on Saturday morning,” Kepitis said.

“I have grown up with racing being in awe of horses. I was lucky enough to be close to Octagonal and Lonhro because of dad and Jack.

“I wanted to have a winner, a group 1 winner but I never dreamed of Winx. It doesn’t happen."

Tighe talks of his father’s days as an SP bookie when his passion for the sport began. He remembers the great champions. He hoped for one of his own and has it after more than 20 years in horses.

This has actually become bigger than Black Caviar and Makybe Diva. That’s incredible

“This is something we like doing, it not like we are newbies to the industry,” Tighe said. “We have dreamt of this, like everyone else, but are getting to live it.

“We understand racing, the time and the effort put in by the staff and the trainer, and what they have to do to get any horse to to the races.

“So we don’t take this last couple of years for granted.”

Tighe sat back and watched a documentary on Winx’s career earlier in the week with friends, which brought back the memories of the past four years.

“It's amazing to be a part of,” he said “We used to ask questions what it would be like when Makybe Diva and Black Caviar were going around.

“I would say to [his wife] Patty 'how would it be like to own a horse like this?' What would it be like?

“For it to happen to us, it didn’t really fit to start with, but you get used to it.

“This has actually become bigger than Black Caviar and Makybe Diva. That’s incredible.”

The idea of four Cox Plates was unheard of before Winx. Winning the same group 1 four times had only happened a few times.

Awesome foursome: Hugh Bowman and Chris Waller celebrate Winx’s historic Cox Plate triumph last year.Credit:AAP

Being at the top of an individual sport, where a bad day can happen, for four years is remarkable but it doesn’t come without a good team and preparation.

“She is the best horse in the world. Ridden by the best jockey in the world and trained by the best trainer in the world,” Tighe said after Winx’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes success last year.

But even for Waller it is special.

“Most people in sport either dream of being a great player or being involved with someone great – and [in] our instance it is a horse,” Waller said.

“Both Hughie and I and the owners have had racing in our blood. For Hughie and I it has been since we were boys.

“To be involved with a horse of champion status has been something we have dreamt of. Dealing with it has been been a bit different than I expected but it is a part of life now.”

The preparation for Saturday started for Waller days after the Cox Plate and the moment has come for her to shine again.

“You’re constantly thinking about Winx personally and I presume Hugh’s the same," Waller said.

"This race has been prepared for since the Cox Plate in Melbourne back in October five months ago.

"She's ready to go."

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