SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian racehorse Winx won the George Ryder Stakes for the fourth straight year at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday to extend her record of Group One wins to 24 in what is expected to be her penultimate race.
The bay mare started the 1,500m race at the Western Sydney track with the lowest odds of her career, 17-1 on, and fully justified the backing by storming to victory by three lengths for her 32nd consecutive win.
"When the crowd erupted I could feel the energy increase in her body, it was just so exciting," said jockey Hugh Bowman.
"I'm just so proud of her and proud to be part of it."
After the dominant victory, the seven-year-old was welcomed back to the grandstand by the crowd chanting "Winxy! Winxy!", confirmation if any was needed of her status as Australia's favourite horse.
It was a victory in the Chipping Norton Stakes earlier this month that enabled her to take sole possession of the record for Group One wins.
Although trainer Chris Waller has not confirmed it, Winx's extraordinary career is likely to come to an end after a swansong at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick next month.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
