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Star mare Winx was able to pick up where she left off when returning with a dominant win the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Claiming an impressive tenth win in a row, Winx settled off the leader Rebel Dane in second before taking over proceedings at the 300m, running away with an easy three and a half length victory over Hartnell in second with Rebel Dane third.
Winx returned a Timeform figure of 126+, only two pounds below her previous peak achieved twice when winning the Cox Plate (2040m) and Doncaster Mile (1600m).
The last horse to win the Doncaster Mile – Warwick Stakes double was Private Steer in 2004, with Sunline in 1999 and Super Impose in 1990/91 also doing the double which puts Winx in terrific company.
In what is an ominous warning to spring rivals, the Chris Waller-trained runner returned a Timeform figure much higher than the 116+ she ran to when winning the Group 2 Apollo Stakes first up last campaign and appears to have returned better than ever.
Very few horses are able to run up to such a figure when returning from a spell with Lonhro running to 127 with a win in the 2002 Missile Stakes and Sunline 125 in the 2002 Waikato Sprint when resuming.
Both horses improved off those runs to return peak figures of 128 and 129 respectively throughout the preparation and Winx can certainly improve off the 126+.
The rating of 126+ is the highest rated winner of the race in the last 26 years, with only Filante in 1997 matching that effort, who was also returning from a spell.
Following that win, Filante finished second in the Group 1 Chelmsford Stakes and George Main Stakes before winning the Group 1 Yalumba Stakes then placing in both the Group 1 Cox Plate and Mackinnon Stakes.
In the last 26 years Sunline is the only other runner to complete the Cox plate – Warwick Stakes double, running to 123 when beating Tie The Knot and Refferal in 1999 with Saintly running second in 1996 before winning the Cox Plate later that year.
Sunline went on to win the Cox Plate twice, running to 129 when winning by over seven lengths in 2000, a figure Winx could equal or even surpass should she take out this years renewal of the feature race.
Running the final 600m in a slick 32.89, some 1.76 inside standard, the champion mare appeared to have more up her sleeve and will be very hard to beat throughout her preparation as she searches for a second Cox Plate win.
The win by Winx brought up Chris Waller’s third Warwick Stakes success with Royal Descent in 2015 (121) and Metal Bender in 2010 (123) his other two winners.
The Racing and Sports field Strength of 124.4 is very good for a Group 1 well above the 122.3 of last years renewal taken out by Royal Descent.
The next target for Winx appears to be the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 3 with Lonhro in 2003 the last horse to win the double.
The highest rated winner of the Chelmsford Stakes since 1991 is Might And Power in 2008 who ran to 128 with the last five years average just above 122.
Of the beaten brigade, Hartnell returned well in second, returning a figure of 120, one pound below his previous best with Rebel Dane improving on his first effort and returning a figure of 118.
Lucia Valentina finished off well for fourth and ran to 113 and she will no doubt improve as she goes up in trip this campaign.
Divine Prophet displayed his spring credentials with a terrific win in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m).
Settling well back in the field off a genuine tempo, the team Hawkes-trained runner was able to round up the field in the straight to run around a narrow winner over Derryn in second with Thronum third.
Returning a Timeform figure of 113p, Divine Prophet ran up to his figure achieved when third in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes last campaign and certainly has plenty of scope for improvement.
Divine Prophet is the highest rated winner of the race since Manawanui in 2011 who ran to 115+ when beating Queenian and Detours, also having his fourth career run.
From a stable that usually brings their horses through the grades, Divine Prophet went from a two-year-old race at Kembla Grange into the Group 1 Champagne Stakes last campaign which suggests the stable have a very big opinion of the horse.
With Divine Prophet a chance to head towards the Group 1 Golden Rose, Manawanui is the only runner to complete the Up And Coming Stakes – Golden Rose double, improving significantly to run a figure of 125 when winning the Golden Rose.
Duporth who finished third in the 2008 Up And Coming Stakes also went on to win the Group 1 Golden Rose, running to 117 on both occasions.
Other notable performances coming out of this race into the Golden Rose was Scissor Kick in 2014, running to 109 when winning the Up And Coming Stakes before running a narrow second to Hallowed Crown in the Golden Rose and running to (117).
In what was a fairly weak Up And Coming Stakes last year, Shards ran to 106p before finishing well off the pace behind Exosphere in the Golden Rose.
Of the runners behind Divine Prophet, Derryn was very good in second running to a peak Timeform figure of 108 and now gives a link to the Melbourne form, coming off form at Flemington and Caulfield last campaign.
Thronum in third also ran to a new career peak of 110 in third having been one of the better performed two-year-olds during the winter.
Prized Icon was unable to catch the placegetters in fourth with the very big weight of 61kg but still returned well to run to 114, two pounds below his Champagne win with the only horse to win the Champagne – Up And Coming double Sky Chase in 1987.
With the average winning Golden Rose figure of the last five years being just over 122, Divine Prophet certainly has the scope to run up to that level, having just had the four runs to date.
Omei Sword might also have her eye on the Group 1 Golden Rose following a handy win in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m).
Settling back in the field, Omei Sword ran on well to win by just over three lengths with Bacarella in second at the long odds and Quick Feet third.
The Chris Waller-trained runner returned a Timeform figure of 112p, the highest since Nechita in 2012 who ran to 113+.
Since the Golden Rose became a Group 1 in 2003 (run twice in 2004), only 35 fillies have lined up in the race out of 173 runners or just over 20%.
Forensics is the only filly to have won the race in that time beating El Cambio in 2008 and running to a figure of 121.
2015 Silver Shadow winner Speak Fondly ran to 112, before running well for second behind Exosphere in the Golden Rose and returning a figure of 113.
Bacarella in second ran to a new career peak of 101 with Quick Feet in third running to 99, five pounds below her previous best.
Tycoon Tara has shown that her Missile Stakes win was no fluke when winning the Group 3 Show County (1200m) getting the better of Le Romain in second with Mount Nebo third.
The now six-year-old mare continues to go from strength to strength under Peter and Paul Snowden, returning a career peak Timeform figure of 113, five pounds above her win in the Missile Stakes.
Also a race that sees more colts and geldings lining up, Tycoon Tara is the first mare to win since Lotteria in 2005 who returned a Timeform figure of 115 on that occasion.
The race has been won by some talented Group 1 sprinters in recent years that includes Terravista (2014), Rebel Dane (2013) and Moment Of Change (2012) although Tycoon Tara may head towards the 1400m next start rather than remain over the 1200m trip.
Le Romain in second looks set for a solid campaign ahead, returning a Timeform figure of 116 in second with Mount Nebo in third running to 105.