2022 Winx Stakes betting strategy & preview | Saturday, August 20

There’s no better feeling than Group 1 fever, and thankfully, it is back on Saturday with the running of the Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick. The first Group 1 of the new racing season has attracted 11 acceptors, with seven of those already Group 1 winners. The $750,000 event has proven to be a successful starting point for a number of Australia’s best horses in recent years, with the likes of Sunline, Lonhro, Winx and Verry Elleegant all kicking off spring campaigns with a victory in the 1400m race.

In this year’s edition, Anamoe will run as a $2.70 favourite in search of a fourth Group 1 win, while Forbidden Love ($5), defending champion Mo’unga ($6) and Chris Waller’s Group 1-winning Fangirl ($7.50) are the only other runners in single figures with Ladbrokes. Star mare Duais is rated a $15 chance ahead of her Melbourne Cup campaign, while the talented Profondo is a $14 hope as he looks to find his best again.

There doesn’t appear to be a natural leader in the race, so we expect that both Forbidden Love and Hinged ($12) will come across from their wide gates in search of the lead, while Anamoe, Mo’unga and Profondo are likely to settle down in the first half of the field. Duais and Fangirl will make their runs together in the closing stages, while Benaud, Stockman and Hilal will most likely be looking for further.

Continue reading to see HorseBetting.com.au’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2022 Winx Stakes.

We are leaning the way of MO’UNGA in the early stages. The Annabel Neasham-trained five-year-old defeated the likes of Verry Elleegant, Think It Over and Cascadian in this race last year when resuming, and while this is a star-studded lineup of horse flesh, there aren’t necessarily any 1400m weight-for-age superstars in the race. Yes, Anamoe is a serious animal, but he was vulnerable first-up last preparation and he will no doubt be heading towards the Cox Plate again, so he might want further than seven furlongs. Mo’unga flies first-up, with three wins and two placings from five runs, while 1400m is arguably his best distance. In his recent barrier trial it looked like he didn’t want to be there, but that is what he does. On Saturday, the blinkers will go on and he will fire up and give this race a proper shake again. Tommy Berry will get every chance from barrier two also.

Obviously, ANAMOE is the one that they all have to beat. He has won seven of his 16 starts and earned over $4.8 million in prizemoney, so there’s little wonder he is one of the best horses in the land. Trained by James Cummings and to be ridden by James McDonald, the son of Street Boss has the X-factor to go all the way to Cox Plate glory, and if he didn’t lose a race all spring, it wouldn’t shock us. In saying that, we mentioned he can be touch-and-go when resuming, winning only one first-up run, and at this stage in his career he could be wanting further than 1400m. He hasn’t finished outside the first two in three runs over this distance, with a win in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and a runner-up effort in the Golden Rose coming over this trip, but in the autumn he didn’t really show a whole lot until he got to 2000m when winning the Rosehill Guineas by seven lengths. He’s a serious animal, but we’re happy to run the risk and go against him on Saturday.

DUAIS is one of our favourite horses, and while we would love to be with her on Saturday, she has much bigger fish to fry. The Edward Cummings-trained mare is on a path towards the first Tuesday in November, so we imagine this 1400m assignment in late August will only be a little tune-up. Cummings gave the mare by Shamus Award just one quiet trial on August 5 over 1000m, where she wasn’t asked to do anything under the man who knows her best, Joshua Parr. She races well fresh, has drawn well and has won at Randwick in the past, but we expect her to be winding up late and looking for much further. PROFONDO and FANGIRL are two four-year-olds that could jump out of their skins this spring, so we will be keeping close eyes on them too.

Winx Stakes 2022 selections & best bets

• 1

  MO’UNGA

• 3

  ANAMOE

• 7

  DUAIS

• 4

  PROFONDO

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