Team Winx riding high once more

Hugh Bowman and Unforgotten after winning the Australian Oaks at Randwick. Bowman completed a G1 double in the following race - on Winx

The Winx show has left a mark right across the TRC Global Rankings this week. The great mare’s sauntering victory in the $A4 million G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on Saturday - the richest race in the Southern Hemisphere that’s not called the Melbourne Cup or The Everest - produced significant uplifts for jockey Hugh Bowman, owner Magic Bloodstock, trainer Chris Waller and sire Street Cry.

But she didn’t do all that on her own. She was merely the middle leg of a magnificent G1 hat-trick for Waller, who also sent out Australian Oaks heroine Unforgotten and Sydney Cup champ Who Shot Thebarman on a memorable second Saturday of The Championships. It means a four-point gain in the trainers’ standings for Waller, although he remains at #10, but it was a welcome reversal of a points slide for a man who has been as high as #3 in the recent past.

Bowman, who also rode Unforgotten (a daughter of Fastnet Rock), gains three points to move alongside Japan-based Italian Mirco Demuro at world #2, and Magic Bloodstock, owners of both Winx and Unforgotten, strengthen their position at #3 with a six-point gain. Winx was the only winner for Street Cry last week, but that was enough to raise his total by two points and keep him at world #9.

Racing Post Ratings (RPR) assessed Winx’s victory at a relatively low 117 (bearing in mind she has been rated as high as 130 in the past), but don’t for a second think that means she was below par on Saturday. Judge for yourself - watch the video here.

Lyons and Keane lead the way

For all the splendour on display in Sydney, the biggest rankings movers of the week were on the other side of the world.  

Trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane gain ten and eight points respectively for a G3 double in Ireland for owner Sean Jones (a new entry at #208) in the early throes of the European campaign.

Who’s Steph caused a surprise in the Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial on Saturday, while Psychedelik Funk earned an RPR of 114 for winning the Gladness Stakes at Naas on Friday. Lyons is now #115 (from #162) and Keane #93 (from #118).

Nelson extends Frankel’s record

Aidan O'Brien’s team, which has just begun to dust off the close-season cobwebs in earnest, also had a pair of Group winners on heavy ground on Saturday (Irish Derby and St Leger winner Capri and Derby hopeful Nelson), but of course, when you’re already world #1, such achievements barely make an indent.

What is significant is that Nelson is a son of Frankel (+4pts at #5) and moves the great horse’s record as a progenitor to a staggering 23 Group/Graded wins from 109 runs.

Strong week for Aussie pair

Frankel wasn’t the only stallion to make progress. Two others who we have featured here on several occasions were among the winners: the Aussie pair I Am Invincible and Not A Single Doubt. The former gains four points on the back of Pure Elation’s win in the G2 Percy Sykes at Randwick, while the latter (+3pts) was our highest-rated stallion in the field when responsible for 60/1 Western Australia Oaks shocker Special Alert.

I Am Invincible is now #6 and Not A Single Doubt #7.

Moreira’s return

Back in the top ten in the jockeys’ standings is the Magic Man, Joao Moreira (+5pts, #11 to #9), following his G2 Arrowfield Sprint win on Catchy.

There were riding doubles for Mickael Barzalona (+4pts, #33 to #27) in France and Ricardo Santana (+6pts, #142 to #116) in the U.S.   

Click here for a list of all last week’s biggest TRC Global Rankings points gainers.

Click here for a list of all the week’s Group and Graded winners.

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