The pressure of greatness means we should enjoy Winx
I’m ready to welcome Chris Waller and Winx into the 25 straight-win club on Saturday. It takes a lot of work to get there. A lot of racing. A lot of pressure.
I get a joy out of watching Winx that I couldn’t get from watching Black Caviar. When you are living it, it’s different to being able to sit back and just watch a champion doing what she does best.
I look at Winx and just go wow. I love the way she is dominant, winning her races. I enjoy watching her.
That is not to say I didn’t enjoy being a part of Black Caviar. But, on the outside of the fence, you can watch with a bit more freedom.
When you are in Chris Waller’s position, you are worried about what could happen. You are looking to make sure everything is right. You are looking at their demeanour, at their body language. But you know you can’t control everything. You know that. But still you wish you could.
You are also looking to do your best for the industry and to promote it. A horse like Black Caviar, like Winx, doesn’t come along that often. The headlines that come with them are great. That is a lot of pressure in itself. And I didn’t truly realise what it all meant until she had retired.
In the end, it comes down to the performance on the track, and the expectation of winning. That is what makes them extra special. They just win.
As a trainer, you are waiting for that moment when she shows her superiority. You want to see what you have seen at home on the track before anyone knew who she was. That is the great moment.
Black Caviar gave me those moments. Winx does the same for Chris.
You get a tingle that you can only get from the very best.
It's impossible to compare Black Caviar and Winx so I wouldn't try. They're different horses, different beasts, different distances. But I do know that we should all enjoy Winx. Champions like her don’t come along that often.
We are lucky this century to have seen great horses in Sunline, So You Think, Makybe Diva, Black Caviar and now Winx.
I was lucky to have one. The memories of Black Caviar are still fresh but, as I said, it was not until she was finished that I really appreciated what she means. I can turn on the tapes of Black Caviar and watch them and remember.
But there is nothing like the present. And that is Winx.
Chris is in that moment. You are looking at your horse and your other horses and getting them ready the best you can. But the time and the pressure you get from a horse like Winx, and what it takes out of you, is amazing.
There is the fear. It is always there. That this could be the day.
With Black Caviar, I used to tell Luke Nolen if she doesn’t feel right at the gates, you take the saddle off at the barriers. He would answer: “Don’t put any more pressure on me you big bastard.”
It is always there. When Black Caviar became public property after 10 or so wins, it became a relief to win.
You know on facts and figures and ability that she should always win. You know misfortune or misadventure is probably the only way you are going to get beaten.
That is what it comes down in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Winx is the best horse. All she needs is the opportunity to show it.
But these great horses are on the edge because they push themselves to the limit. It is what makes them great.
It might look easy but you don’t do what Winx is doing, and do it easy. I’m sure there are niggles.
Running the times she runs and beating the best horses the way she does can’t be done without pushing the pain barrier. Managing Winx to give her best performance at the right time has been what Chris has done best.
He hasn’t pushed her for that extra run. Remember after the Doncaster a couple of years ago, he pulled up stumps rather than backing her up into the Queen Elizabeth because he knew it was time.
I think this horse-whispering stuff is bullshit. But you understand your horse and you love your horse.
You want them to show their best and you don’t want to be the guy who took them one run too far or was too greedy. That is a balance you have to manage when you are dealing with greatness.