Winx adds another record to her collection with fourth horse of the year crown

Source: Daily Telegraph /

Winx is still winning – long after she was retired from racing.

The mighty mare was voted a unanimous winner of the Australia Horse of the Year award for 2018-19 to become the first to win the coveted title four times at the award ceremony held in Hobart on Thursday night.

There was cause for further celebration in Melbourne with Team Winx including trainer Chris Waller, jockey Hugh Bowman and part-owner Debbie Kepitis on stage to accept “Spirit of Sport” award at Thursday night’s Sport Australia Hall of Fame awards.

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Winx won the Horse of the Year title after another perfect season, winning all eight races she contested including a fourth Cox Plate, fourth George Ryder Stakes and a memorable third Queen Elizabeth Stakes in her swansong race.

She was retired to stud after winning 33 races in succession and remaining unbeaten for nearly four years.

“I think this award is a culmination of an extraordinary four years with Winx,’’ part-owner Peter Tighe said in Hobart. “She took us all on an incredible journey, we were blessed to be a part of it.’’

Winx, who also won the Middle Distance category at the Hobart awards, has been mated with I am Invincible at stud this spring with the ownership group waiting on confirmation the all-time great mare is carrying her first foal.

Waller and Hugh Bowman also picked up awards for the leading Group 1 trainer and jockey last season.