Wonder mare Winx has notched her 30th consecutive win in a flawless return to the track at Royal Randwick on Saturday as her incredible career reaches its final chapters.
The Chris Waller-trained horse is aiming for three more races in Sydney - the Chipping Norton, George Ryder and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - while jockey Hugh Bowman during the week hinted Winx could even chase a fifth consecutive Cox Plate.
Winx was priced at just $1.08, but that didn't deter punters with an all-time record bet of $250,000 being placed on the champion horse through the TAB, as the punter pocketed $20,000.
It eclipsed the previous biggest bet of $201,200 at $1.22 on last year's Cox Plate.
The punters had nothing to sweat over as the seven-year-old mare looked comfortable from the barrier jump, sitting pretty in the midfield before timing her signature run home.
To add cream on the cake, Winx ran a race record time in the Apollo Stakes, finishing ahead of Happy Clapper (second) and Egg Tart (third).
Age shall not weary the champ.
— TAB (@tabcomau) February 16, 2019
Winx makes more history in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick. #GoWinx Ⓜ️ pic.twitter.com/3ET9KF01X9
30 x straight wins. 3 x Apollo Stakes. 23 x G1 wins (world record). #winxhorse #gowinx pic.twitter.com/HLqTT0U66i
— Winx (Official) (@winx_horse) February 16, 2019
An emotional Waller was teary in front of the cameras, blown away by Winx's stardom.
''It's indescribable for any sport and racing, it's exactly what we need,'' Waller said.
''It's why this sport is so great.''
The field was largely made up of horses in the Waller stable, as well as group one winners Alizee and Ace High.
