Waller knows what's best for Winx as she heads toward the end

Chris Waller doesn’t like being called a horseman. He defers that title to others, but he should never be doubted when it comes to racing on with Winx.

The result of Saturday’s Apollo Stakes - another win, 30 in a row - showed the mare is still without peer, yet Waller was at pains to explain his feelings about racing her on.

"It's been our decision to push on a bit further and there are always the challenges involved in that and how people perceive it," he said. "But I think it's for the better for racing that she is here."

Waller monitors Winx closely and wouldn't test the boundaries if she showed any signs of trailing off.

Winx offers a different scenario to what usually happen with horses going into retirement. So often we are robbed of seeing the best of colts, which are whisked off to stud for financial reasons.

She has been a recordbreaker and is arguably still near her peak as the race record showed. In a time when interest in racing is waning, she invites the public back to thetrack.

Her marvellous winning run, and dominance in doing so, sparks interest that only an elite performer can.

Waller has managed her career brilliantly, never tempted to go one run too far and that is why, as a seven-year-old, she is breaking race records and winning Cox Plates. There is a care in his training that puts the horse before anything else.

"I only ever want the horses to come home safe, but if I was that fearful of that stuff I wouldn't have any runners," Waller said.

"She just showed how good she is, and that's what everybody wants to see."

Winx deserves record crowds

There aren't many chances to see Winx again and the Chipping Norton Stakes in two weeks shapes as the best opportunity to do it in comfort.

Winx is scheduled to race on Golden Slipper day and the final day of The Championships on April 13, in the George Ryder Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes respectively. Dining and hospitality packages for both days are already sold out and the gates are likely to shut with crowds flocking to see the champion.

There were 15,330 at Randwick on Saturday, with a disappointing crowd in the members' areas despite the public embracing the champion. The Australian Turf Club should be aiming for more than 20,000 for the Chipping Norton day and press its members to show they are racing fans.

It’s rare to get a chance to see the best in action. There is no guarantee that Winx will run on three occasions, so put a note in the diary to be at Randwick on March 2.

Article courtesy of Nine and The Brisbane Times