Winx wins fourth successive Australian Horse of the Year award

Almost 12 months since her fourth Cox Plate and six months after her racecourse farewell, mighty mare Winx added a double to her long list of accolades on Thursday evening.

In Tasmania, at the Australian Champion Racehorse Awards, Winx was crowned Australian Horse of the Year for an unprecedented fourth time. She qualified for that honour by dominating the Champion Middle Distance Performer category.

Winx’s trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman were the leading Group 1 performers in their respective categories.

Meanwhile in Melbourne, Team Winx was paid tribute at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame gala function where the connections and the horse had the Spirit of Sport honour bestowed upon them.

Team Winx, (from left) including part-owner Debbie Kepitis (third from left) and trainer Chris Waller (fifth from left) accept another award for Winx at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame 35th Induction and Awards Gala Dinner at the Palladium at Crown in Melbourne. Picture: AAP

Other winners at the Hobart awards function included Godolphin’s Golden Slipper runner-up and Sires Produce winner Microphone (champion 2yo), Everest hopes Sunlight (champion 3yo filly) and Santa Ana Lane (champion sprinter), Caulfield Guineas winner The Autumn Sun (champion 3yo male), 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter (champion stayer) and Zed Em (champion jumper).