From the moment Winx stormed away with the Cox Plate comparisons between her and Sunline were inevitable but now at the end of her Autumn 4YO campaign, More Joyous, Atlantic Jewel and even Emancipation can be drawn into the comparison mix.
Comparing any of those mares to Sunline’s complete body or work is unfair - Sunline’s longevity saw her amass a mighty CV over six seasons.
However a comparison between all five mares at the end of their four-year-old season reveals an interesting insight.
- Peak Timeform rating 128
- 13 wins from 19 starts- 6 wins at Group 1 level
- Longest unbeaten winning sequence of 9- Won from 1100m to 2200m
- 7 wins from 7 starts
- 2 wins at Group 1 level- Longest unbeaten winning sequence of 7
- Won from 1100m to 2000m- Peak Timeform rating 128
- 17 wins from 24 starts
- 5 wins at Group 1 level- Longest unbeaten winning sequence 8
- Won from 1100m to 2040m- Peak Timeform rating 127
- 14 wins from 19 starts
- Longest unbeaten winning sequence 8- 5 wins at Group 1 level (6 if count Canterbury Stakes)
- Won from 1100m to 2000m
Emancipation
- Peak Timeform rating 128- 19 wins from 26 race starts
- 6 wins at Group 1 level (8 if include Canterbury Stakes/Chipping Norton Stakes now G1)- Longest unbeaten winning sequence 5
- Won from 1200m to 1750m- Peak Timeform rating 135
- 13 wins from 13 starts
- 6 wins at Group 1 level- Longest unbeaten winning sequence 13
- Won from 1000m to 1200m
At three:
Sunline won twice at Group 1 level – the Flight Stakes and The Doncaster – and was rated 125.
Winx won once at Group 1 level – The Queensland Oaks – and was rated 115.
Atlantic Jewel only raced at three and five before succumbing to injury. She won the group 1 Thousand Guineas by three lengths and the group 2 Wakeful Stakes by seven lengths as a spring 3YO– those efforts earning her a Timeform rating of 128.
As an autumn 3YO she defeated the older sprinters in the group 1 All Aged Stakes at WFA over 1400m at Randwick again running to a Timeform rating of 128 before her enforced layoff.
More Joyous won once at Group 1 level – Flight Stakes – and rated 120.
Emancipation won twice at Group 1 Level – George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster Mile (three times at G1 if include Canterbury Stakes) – and rated 127
While Black Caviar had not burst onto the racing stage at three, remaining unbeaten after five starts with a modest Timeform rating of 122.
At Four
Sunline
Sunline ran second in the G1 George Main Stakes, then fourth in the Epsom before winning the Cox Plate and returning a rating of 124.
Sunline then returned to win the Apollo first up before taking on the handicapper in the Coolmore Classic. She won her fourth Group 1 carrying a record-breaking 60kgs and returned a rating of 128. Sunline then ran second in the Doncaster Mile with 57.5kgs before winning the All Aged Stakes running to a new master Timeform rating of 129.Winx
Winx won the Epsom before winning the Cox Plate and returning a rating of 126. She then returned in the Autumn to win the Apollo Stakes first up before winning her fourth Group 1 in the Chipping Norton Stakes where she returned a rating of 120. At third run back she won the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes running a Timeform rating that equalled her Cox Plate win of 126 then took the Doncaster Mile under 56.5kgs and running to a new Master Timeform rating of 128.Atlantic Jewel
Did not race at four due to injury.More Joyous
More Joyous won the G1 George Main Stakes and G1 Toorak Handicap before running fifth to So You Think in the Cox Plate ending her spring with a rating of 124.In the Autumn she won the G2 Canterbury Stakes, G1 Futurity Stakes and G1 Queen Of the Turf before failing in the G1 Doncaster Mile on heavy going. She ended her 4YO season with a Timeform rating of 127.
Emancipation
Emancipation won the G2 Chelmsford Stakes, G2 Hill Stakes and G1 George Main Stakes during the spring returning in the Autumn for wins in the G2 Apollo Stakes, G2 Chipping Norton Stakes, G1 Coolmore Classic, G1 George Ryder Stakes and G1 All Aged Stakes earning a Timeform rating of 128.Black Caviar
Developed into a world class champion winning all eight starts at four, 6 at group 1 level and setting records along the way such as her 58kgs in the Newmarket Hcp and the first of her three group 1 Lightning Stakes – a race now named in her honour taking her Timeform rating to 135 – the fourth time she recorded a Timeform rating of 130 or higher at four.Conclusion;
The above analysis shows uncanny similarity between five outstanding mares (leaving out Champion Black Caviar who was included for completeness sake of the article) with Winx now joining Sunline, Atlantic Jewel and Emancipation as having a slight advantage as far as Timeform ratings go over More Joyous
With Winx now heading to the spelling paddock, she has passed up the last possible opportunity to overtake this trio in terms of Timeform ratings and group one wins (if Canterbury Stakes/Chipping Norton Stakes upgrades are ignored), but not in overall victories as Winx ends her 4YO season with is 13 wins – the second lowest of the group.
On any measure Winx has reached lofty heights at the end of her 4YO season earning a Timeform rating of 128- equal highest for a female thoroughbred.
Whether she deserves the title of champion is open to further debate as I think it is pretty clear that all four comparative mares used in this analysis would not have been referred to as a Champion all round racehorse at the same stage. A champion mare maybe…
Of the group analysed Sunline went on to earn the tag of all round champion racehorse with wins in a second Doncaster Mile and Cox Plate.
Maybe Winx has to do a little more at five before she earns that tag?
