Asked if trackmen had clocked Winx accurately at 21sec, jockey Hugh Bowman said: “That’d be right.

“She had the ear muffs off and she was feeling really good in her action.

“And when she changed legs, I let her really run into the bridle and I don’t do that a lot at trackwork but it was her main piece and she had the opportunity to use the course proper.

“I just go by feel and what I felt this morning was pretty much what I hoped to feel.

“The best thing about it was she was very relaxed. That gives me great comfort.”

Bowman described Winx’s gallop “on a lovely cushion” with Japonisme as the best of her preparation as the wonder mare chases a 21st consecutive win.

Jockey Hugh Bowman believes Winx’s session at Flemington is possibly her best of this campaign.

“Japonisme, we went out together, and he worked out in front and I sort of let him go so that she wasn’t chasing him,” he told Sky Sports Radio. “Yeah, she felt pretty good. Actually, I would say it was probably her best gallop this preparation, to be honest with you. “She felt great. I don’t know what time she ran. I left and got straight on the plane (back to Sydney). “Obviously having her first run at the track this Saturday, very excited about that and very pleased how she’s settled in.

Winx will meet genuine opposition this weekend when she runs into Humidor.

“There was a lovely cushion in the ground, she was moving particularly well and her last 200, she felt amazing. “I really felt her lengthen this morning and she won’t do much more now. “I’ll go back and put her through her paces on Thursday morning. She’ll just do the standard.”

Winx’s reputation and form is likely to scare off many rivals in Saturday’s feature but Darren Weir’s Australian Cup winner Humidor will take on the Sydney champion.

Winx will have only one other start in Melbourne this spring as she bids to land a third consecutive Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 28. The Victoria Racing Club expects a large crowd will travel to Headquarters on Saturday to pay homage to Australia’s best horse.

Winx, ridden by jockey Hugh Bowman, wins her 20th consecutive race at Royal Randwick. Picture: Tim Hunter