2021 Winx Stakes Race Details

Race 8 at Randwick on Saturday 21 August 2021.

The Winx Stakes is a 1400 metre weight-for-age race run by the Australian Jockey Club in August. The race is held Randwick during the early part of the  Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, and is now the first Group 1 race of the racing year.

You can read more about the race history, lead-up races and past winners on the Winx Stakes page.

Winx Stakes 2021 Preview

Track: Good   Weather: Fine

A field of 14 runners have accepted for the $500,000 Winx Stakes and 13 of them are resuming from a spell. Chris Waller has five runners including the horses that quinellaed this race last year, while Team Hawkes has two runners. There are nine geldings, two stallions and three mares. The early favourite is 2020 winner  Verry Elleegant who has 13 wins and eight places from her 29 starts. Second favourite is Kolding who was runner up in this race last year, and comes off 5th in the Group 2 Missile Stakes first-up. Third favourite is Mo’unga who won the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas back in March.

Think It Over won the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes in March.  Cascadian finisshed last campaign with a win in the Group 1 Doncaster Mil;e followed by a close 3rd in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes. Dreamforce  has won 13 of his 39 starts and goes wellfirst-up. Hungry Heart won three in a row last campaign culminating in the Group 1 Australian Oaks, while Imaging finished 4th in this race last year and goes well at this distance.  All other runners are currently 30 to 1 or longer.

2021 Winx Stakes Runner by Runner

1. Kolding

One of the Waller team and one of two Ocean Park geldings in the team, this six-year-old has won 11 of his 31 starts. He has earned prizemoney of $6.4 million which makes him the 2nd biggest earner in the race. He has three Group 1 wins including the All Aged Stakes at this track and distance in April. He is the only runner who is not first-up as he resumed for 1.5 lengths 5th in the Group 2 Missile Stakes on 7 August. Don’t underestimate him.

2. Think It Over

This six-year-old So You Think gelding is trained by Kerry Parker at Kembla Grange and has six wins and nine places from 24 starts. At the ed of last campaign he was a 0.2 length winner of the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes over 1500m then ran 1.5 lengths 4th in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2000m when he was never really clear in the straight. Has a good record at Randwick and is a place chance.

3. Cascadian

Trained by James Cummings, this six-year-old won the Doncaster Mile in April, then ran 0.3 lengths 3rd in the All Aged Stakes before spelling. He generally goes well first-up and is one for the exotics.

4. Dreamforce

This nine-year-old Fastnet Rock gelding trained by John Thompson has 13 wins and 12 places from 39 starts. Last year when he resumed from a spell in this race he only beat one runner home when 15th of 16. Has trialled well for this and although he is the oldest runner he should go well.

5. Imaging

Last year he finished 0.5 length 4th in this race but that was his second-up run following 3rd in the 2020 Missile Stakes. He has won two of eight first-up starts but looks tested.

6. Star Of The Seas

This seven-year-old Ocean Park gelding from the Waller stable was runner-up in this race last year. He has raced 9 times at Group 1 level for three 2nds and a 3rd but hasn’t been able to get a Group 1 win. Goes well fresh and shouldn’t be far away.

7. Keiai Nautique

A Japanese horse having his first run in Australia. This six-year-old Deep Impact stallion has three wins and four places from his 24 starts. All three wins were over 1600m and his last win was in Tokyo in May 2018. Resumes after 32 weeks and has shown potential in trials. One to watch.

8. Master Of Wine

One of two runners for Team Hawkes, and both are six-year-old geldings sired by Maxios. He finished 12th in this race last year, but has done better in lead-up trials this year, so I expect he can improve on that position.

9. Brandenburg

This five-year-old gelding trained by John Sargent ran 5.3 lengths 10th in this race last year. In May he won the inaugural edition of The Coast then went to Brisbane where he ran 3rd in the Group 1 Doomben Cup then 4th in the Group 2 Q22. Returns from a 10 week let-up and has placed in both lead-up trials. Could place.

10. Mount Popa

With five wins and nine places from 15 starts, this six-year-old trained by Team Hawkes has only been out of the trifecta once and that time he finished 4th. His resume includes two wins at Listed level – the Randwick City Stakes and the Mornington Cup – but this is his first run at Group level. Not the worst.

11. Mo’unga

This four-year-old Savabeel stallion trained by Annabel Neasham has four wins and two places from nine starts. Back in March he ran 2nd in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas then won the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas. Resumes after 18 weeks and has the benefit of a Warwick Farm trial. Can surprise.

12. Verry Elleegant

Last year’s winner who continued on to win the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes then the Group 1 Caulfield Cup in her spring campaign before running a gallant 7th in the 2020 Melbourne Cup. She picked up two more Group 1 wins in the autumn with the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.  The big question is will she return as well as last year. If she does, she will win.

13. She’s Ideel

This six-year-old Dundeel mare trained by Bjorn Baker has drawn the outside barrier. She has five wins and 10 places from 20 start and her wins range from 1550m to 2400m. Expect she is heading for longer races and don’t expect her to be in the finish here.

14. Hungry Heart

This four-year-old Frankel mare was one of the stars of the autumn with three consecutive Group wins – the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes, the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes and the Group 1 Australian Oaks.  Looking forward to see her return and expect she will make her presence felt.

Winx Stakes 2021 Tips

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
12 Verry Elleegant
1 Kolding
2 Think It Over
14 Hungry Heart

Previews for other races this week

Listed Rowley Mile 2021 (Hawkesbury 1600m) – Thursday

Listed McKenzie Stakes 2021 (Moonee Valley 1200m)

Listed Carlyon Stakes 2021 (Moonee Valley 1000m)

2021 Winx Stakes Results

The track was rated as Good 4.

Scratchings: –

Result Horse Margin
1st 11. Mo’unga
2nd 12. Verry Elleegant 0.24 length
3rd 13. She’s Ideel 0.31 length
4th 7. Keiai Nautique 0.37 length