SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN: CEMENTING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WINX AND THE SUNSHINE COAST

By Graham Potter | Sunday, December 8, 2019

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily.

The re-naming of the Sunshine Coast Guineas, which will become the Winx Guineas from 2020, is a step which serves a number of pleasing purposes.

Firstly, there is the obvious … the honouring of the name of a racehorse of such superior ability whose unprecedented achievements made her the toast of the racing world. The glow of that honour flows down to her owners, trainer and jockey giving them another highly satisfying dose of well-deserved recognition.

Secondly, it cements the connection between the Sunshine Coast Turf Club and the champion race horse. Mention the Winx Guineas in future and the chances are very strong that those words will prick the memory of many racegoers and take them back to that day in 2015 where Winx produced an electrifying last to first victory in the Sunshine Coast Guineas.

It was, quite simply, an extraordinary performance highlighted by her amazing acceleration and the fact that she seemed to be doing it without any undue fuss.

“It is a race that everybody at the turf club is just so proud of,” Sunshine Coast Turf Club CEO John Miller said.

“It was just an amazing day for everyone who was there at the course.”

**************************************************************************************************

That was the beginning of her greatness … the launchpad of a thirty-three run winning sequence which saw her break almost every record in the book, until her connections called time on her illustrious career and allowed her to go out when still on top of her game.

“What it grew into (after that Sunshine Coast win) was just unimaginable," co-owner Peter Tighe said.

“She loved her racing that day … and ever since. She just kept going to a new level each time we raced her.

“She just loved competing with other horses.

"She was at such an elite level she was not only able to compete but to beat them each and every time.

"That it all began here at the Sunshine Coast makes it truly very special to have this race named after her,” concluded Tighe.

And the last word from John Miller?

“We are just really proud that we have got a little bit of a connection with Winx and we are really excited that the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas will become the Winx Guineas and we will have the memory of her forever now."

More articles