Racing: Winx in top nick after sizzling run

Pulling up well after an outstanding Warwick Stakes, Winx looks primed for an exciting Sydney spring campaign. Photo / AAP

Super mare Winx is set for an extended Sydney spring campaign after coming through her outstanding Warwick Stakes better than any first-up run of her career.

Winx recorded sizzling sectional times to overcome a horror start and run down her rivals in a memorable comeback win, but fears the mighty mare had a "gut-buster" have been allayed by trainer Chris Waller.

"I guarantee you it is the best she has ever pulled up after a first-up race," Waller said. "Normally, she will have a good blow and sweat up but she was as good as gold on Saturday.

"I went and looked at her 15 minutes after the race and you wouldn't even know she had had a run."

Winx was fractious in the barriers and came out four lengths behind her rivals before unleashing a stunning burst of acceleration from the home turn to catch stablemate Foxplay on the line.

There was a strong tailwind all day with gusts of more than 50km/h but Winx's sectional splits still made for amazing reading.

This is the first time Winx has broken 32sec for the final 600m of a race, a feat the great Black Caviar achieved twice in her unbeaten 25-start career.

In the 2012 Lightning Stakes over the Flemington 1000m straight course, Black Caviar sprinted her final 600m in 31.82sec to defeat Hay List. Then a year later in the same race, Black Caviar scorched home the closing 600m in 31.36sec.

Winx's ability to sustain her finishing speed has been a factor in her 18-race winning sequence that stretches more than two years.

Waller said Winx is almost certain to line up next in the Group 2 $250,000 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on September 2.

The Hall of Famer could then contest the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m), Group 2 Hill Stakes (1800m) and Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m) all at Randwick and separated by two-week intervals as she builds towards her attempt to equal Kingston Town's unprecedented three successive Cox Plates.

"Winx is an older mare now and we have to keep on top of her, so that is why she will run in two weeks rather than four weeks when she could be very fresh and we might be flirting with danger again," Waller said.

"She has done everything right in her training and looked really fit on Saturday."

Waller admitted he had been waiting for the day when Winx struck trouble at the start of a race.

"She has always been a little flighty in the barriers, especially at her first run. When she was back last, I thought only you can make up for it now - and she had the right man in Hugh Bowman riding her as he never panics."

Waller said Winx's barrier manners usually improved the deeper she got into her race preparation.

"I think it was just nervousness, first-up 'butterflies' sort of thing. We could look at a barrier blanket or keeping the ear muffs on her next start but that could change things as well and I don't want to risk that.

"I can't take her back to the barriers every morning before their next start as that can often make them worse.

"We will get the feel of her over the next 14 days prior to her next start and leave no stone unturned."