Winx 'will make the decision' when she retires, not us, says owner

Winx running round Flemington in next year's Turnbull Stakes and backing up into yet another Cox Plate?

Sounds unlikely given that she would be eight this time next year.

But, says one of the wonder mare's owners, Debbie Kepitis, going around again in 2019 is not beyond the realms of possibility, especially if the superstar racemare gives no sign that she is losing interest in the racing game.

One of Mrs Kepitis's co-owners, Peter Tighe, flagged the possibility earlier this month that The Valley in late October might not be the great galloper's racetrack swansong, as so many have assumed, especially if she crowns her career with a record fourth Cox Plate success later in October.

And the ebullient woman whose purple hair and exuberant post race personality has become better known with each one of Winx's 27 consecutive victories, backed Tighe up when she spoke at a TAB function in Melbourne on Tuesday, suggesting that Winx herself would be the one to call time on her extraordinary career.

''That's up to her. We (the owners) were only talking about this last week. We really want her to indicate what to do,'' Kepitis stressed.

She revealed that when Winx goes out for a spell she enjoys letting down and relaxing.

But it's only a matter of weeks before she gets restless and wants to start exercising and working again - sure signs of a horse who certainly is not ready to pack in a racing career.

Those who look after her while she spelling see a distinct change after a brief break.

''She doesn't want to stand around the paddock not doing anything. They put her on a water walker.

''We will let her tell us (when she wants to retire). While everything is going the same as it has been and there's still the zest for racing why would you do anything else.''

Winx made her belated Flemington bow last year when she skated up in the Turnbull Stakes from the Hayes/Tabernig trained English import Ventura Storm, with Humidor (who subsequently ran her much closer in the Cox Plate) third.

She took to Flemington to the manner born and is expected to win in similar fashion on Saturday when Ventura Storm is once again one of her opponents.

Ben Hayes, the youngest branch of the Hayes/Dabernig/Hayes training triumvirate joked at the function that Ventura Storm was probably running for second place once again, a remark which drew some good natured banter from Mrs Kepitis.

''No-one wants to kill Bambi,'' she said, ''but you are never racing for second place. You don't have a race unless you have competition.''

Winx is at unbackable odds to beat what will almost certainly be a smallish field of rivals on Saturday but Mrs Kepitis is right - there is no such thing as a complete certainty, even though the racing record of Winx and that other great mare who preceded her over sprint trips, Black Caviar, might suggest otherwise.

Still, it will take something out of the ordinary for her to be toppled, especially now she has proven Flemington's galloping expanses hold no fears for her.

She had proven herself so effective round the tight, turning Valley circuit that, Mrs Kepitis said, the connections had some slight reservations how Winx might operate at headquarters.

These proved groundless, and it would be the biggest shock in racing since Black Caviar's retirement if she didn't make it 28 on the spin on Saturday.

Certainly leading trainer Tony McEvoy can't see it happening. ''I have seen some great horses,'' he told the lunch, ''I think she's the best.''

Article courtesy of Fairfax Digital and The Brisbane Times