Fairytale ending for unbeaten Winx in the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick

The world’s top-rated turf horse sprinted home in front of a sell-out 50,000 crowd to end her career and retire with a four-year unbeaten streak to her name on what was an emotional sun drenched afternoon for day 2 of The Australian Turf Club (ATC) Championships at the Sydney racecourse.

Ninety minutes before the race hundreds of those racegoers were packed deep in the racecourse stables, all hungry to get a glimpse of Winx such was the clamour of excitement of seeing what is now being referred to as another icon of Australian sport.

When it came to the race itself Winx, ridden by long-term jockey Hugh Bowman, came out of box nine beginning from a wide berth and was still four horses off the fence turning for home. Once in sight of the winning line she did what she has done so often and made the race her own in determined fashion, coming clear of Japanese challenger Kluger to win by a length and half, crossing the line to typically rapturous applause and cheers. Hartnell and Happy Clapper took third and fourth.

The victory means owner Chris Waller’s all-conquering mare has now won a record 25 Group 1 victories – the highest class of thoroughbred racing, and she will now be retired to stud with the added tag of being the highest-earning horse of all time with a haul of £14,564,743.

Speaking afterwards Waller said: “It’s hard to explain without getting too emotional.

She’s just an amazing horse for everybody to be part of and I’m just a small cog in the wheel.”

Bowman added: “We came here as confident as we’d ever been and what a journey it’s been. It’s hard to believe it’s the end.”

Part-owner Debbie Kepitis said: “This is a fairytale ending, we weren’t sure if we’d get that, but how wonderful is that girl? She is the most amazing, supreme athlete I think I’ve ever seen.”

The success of Winx turned out to be the middle leg of a treble for Waller as he also saddled the winners of the Group 1 races either side of the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes

The first came in the $1 million Heineken Australian Oaks as jockey James McDonald rode the favourite Verry Elleegant to victory by a length and three-quarters; Scarlet Dream taking second from Frankely Awesome.

That was the prelude to the day’s big spectacle and the farewell victory for Winx, after which Waller was back in the winner’s enclosure again after the $2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup. This time it was Jay Ford in the saddle as Shraaoh was a half-length winner over Vengeur Masque in second and Glory Days in third to complete a truly memorable afternoon for the trainer

As the Official Partner of the Australian Turf Club, prestige Swiss watchmaker Longines were official timekeepers of the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes race day.