Race Overview
Named after the incomparable champion mare Winx, the Group 1 Winx Stakes is a Weight-For-Age race for 3YOs and upwards.
Run over a distance of 1400m, the $500,000 race is held at Randwick in Sydney and is the first Group 1 race of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
Originally known as the Warwick Stakes, the inaugural winner of the race was Sunburst in 1923.
The race was eventually renamed the Winx Stakes in 2018 in honour of Chris Waller’s prolific-winning mare Winx.
The stature of the race has increased steadily in recent years and prizemoney has reflected that with prizemoney increasing from $175,000 to $250,000 in 2015 before increasing further to $500,000 in 2018.
It was Principal race up until 1978 before becoming a Group 2 race in 1979 and a Group 1 race in 2018.
The race started out at Warwick Farm and has oscillated multiple times between Randwick, Warwick Farm and Canterbury over the years but has remained at Randwick since 2014.
The distance of the race was briefly held over 1300m in 2000-2001 but has been raced over 1400m every other year.
Al Mansour (2000) holds the race record time of 1:14.77 over 1300m.
The most successful jockey has been Darby Munro who won 6 Warwick Stakes races aboard Rogilla (1935), Allunga (1937), Beaulivre (1940), Katanga (1943), Removal (1945) and Tarien (1954).
An impressive list of horses have saluted in the race including champion mare Winx who won 3 straight races in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Other notable winners include Sunburst (1923), Limerick (1927, 1928, 1929), Amounis (1930), Chatham (1933, 1934), Flight (1944), Bernborough (1946), Tulloch (1957), Kingston Town (1980, 1981, 1982), Super Impose (1990, 1991), Sunline (1999), Lonhro (2001, 2003) and Verry Elleegant (2020).
The Annabel Neasham-trained Mo’unga won the race in 2021 while Godolphin star Anamoe saluted in 2022.
Form Indicators
*Favourites backers have saluted 15 times since 1987 and the shortest-priced winner has been Winx when the champion mare saluted in three consecutive years in 2016, 2017 and 2018 at $1.26, $1.09 and $1.30.
*While Winx has won at skinny odds, Pablo’s Pulse proved that horses can salute at astronomical odds as well after winning the race in 1987 at $501.
*The most successful barriers since 2018 have been single digit barriers with 3 horses saluting from barriers 4, 5 and 9.
*During the same period, only 2 winners have jumped from double digit barriers.
*The race does lend itself to repeat winners with 12 horses winning the race multiple times. Notable repeat winners include Limerick (1927, 1928, 1929), San Domenico (1950, 1951), Kingston Town (1980, 1981, 1982), Super Impose (1990, 1991), Lonhro (2001, 2003) and champion mare Winx (2016, 2017, 2018).
*The most popular age group for winners over the last 30 years has been 5YOs who have saluted 10 times including Verry Elleegant in 2020.
*A first-up winner is more likely to win over any other horse in their stage of preparation with first-up runners saluting 22 times.
*Mares have fared well in recent years with 8 mares saluting in the race including What Can I Say (1998), Sunline (1999), Private Steer (2004), Royal Descent (2015), Winx (2016, 2017, 2018) and Verry Elleegant (2020).
Previous Winners:
2022 – Anamoe
2021 – Mo’unga
2020 – Verry Elleegant
2019 – Samadoubt
2018 – Winx
2017 – Winx
2016 – Winx
2015 – Royal Descent
2014 – Tiger Tees
2013 – Veyron
2012 – Pinwheel
2011 – Pinwheel
2010 – Metal Bender