Hugh Bowman to go from Winx to Kakoda track this week

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This was published 6 years ago

Hugh Bowman to go from Winx to Kakoda track this week

By Chris Roots
Updated

Champion jockey Hugh Bowman's week will begin with superstar Winx on Monday, then his focus will switch to the final two meetings of a premiership battle before he ends the week on a different track entirely – at Kokoda.

The reappearance of Winx will draw a lot of attention at Randwick but it will be a more personal moment for Bowman at the Kokoda track, which he will walk with Kathy O'Hara, Corey Brown, Stephen Baster and Kris Smith.

Ready to return: Hugh Bowman will be on Winx at the Randwick barrier trials on Monday.

Ready to return: Hugh Bowman will be on Winx at the Randwick barrier trials on Monday.Credit: Getty Images

"It is something I have always wanted to do and is a great challenge," Bowman said. "It won't be easy. We are going to do it in four days and hopefully raise a bit of money."

The group will leave after the final meeting of the season at Rosehill on Saturday and will be back for the Missile Stakes day on August 5. The walk will raise funds for the National Jockeys Trust and brain cancer charity, The Mark Hughes Foundation, but it is business first with Bowman hopping on Winx at the Randwick barrier trials.

The champion mare is following a similar path to her spring preparation last year when she started with a Randwick trial around the same day.

"There is no doubt there will be a few fans there and plenty of media attention. It is just the start of the spring but we know she attracts attention," Bowman said.

"I rode her on Friday and she is ready for a trial. It is the natural progression. These good horses coming back to the trials is exciting because it means the spring is getting closer."

Winx will have two barrier trials before returning in next month's Warwick Stakes where she will be shooting for her 18th consecutive victory. Her ultimate goal is to match Kingston Town as a three-time Cox Plate winner at Moonee Valley in October.

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She has never won a trial and is expected to continue that record on the course proper on Monday. The trial includes stablemates Antonio Giuseppe, Comin' Though, Foxplay and Who Shot Thebarman and a couple of runners from other stables.

Trainer Chris Waller described the trial as a pre-season hit-out for the mighty mare.

"It will be a normal trial for her, I would think she will be about midfield and probably not win it," Waller said. "It is part of the preparation like a pre-season game for her."

Bowman has a half-win lead in the jockeys' premiership from Brenton Avdulla with meetings at Canterbury and Rosehill this week.

"It certainly makes this time of year a bit more exciting and really focuses you," Bowman said. "I'm just getting over a bit of the flu from last week and hopefully can hold on to my lead."

Away from Winx, the Randwick barrier trials offer a starting point for some interesting horses from the Godolphin team with rising three-year-olds, Veranillo, Astoria, Trekking and Jorda, which won the Gimcrack Stakes at her only start.

Former French galloper Spectroscope, which won the Doncaster Prelude, makes his return at the trials for James Cummings.

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