Mister Bianco books Winx Guineas bid with winning hat-trick

The Australian

8 hours ago

Peter Tighe will now get a golden chance to win the Winx Guineas with a horse wearing the colours of his legendary champion.
Winx's part-owner Tighe knows Mister Bianco is no Winx, but he was more than happy to win the $150,000 TL Cooney (1350m) at Ipswich as the three-year-old gelding made it a hat-trick of wins.
Mister Bianco, which races in Tighe's Magic Bloodstock colours made famous by Winx, will now attack the Group 3 Winx Guineas over 1600m on the Sunshine Coast in a fortnight.
In 2015, Winx won the race which was then known as the Sunshine Coast Guineas and it marked the start of the mighty mare's incredible 33-race winning streak.
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'The Winx Guineas is on the table, I haven't won that race since we won it with Winx and in fact I haven't even had a runner in it since,' Tighe said.
'The idea was if he keeps improving, we would give it a crack.
'But I won't be on the Sunshine Coast for the Guineas, I am just about to head to America for a month so I will have to keep an eye on it from afar.'
Mister Bianco started the $3.40 equal favourite at Ipswich and he and fellow betting pick Stay Focused settled down to fight it out from a long way out with Mister Bianco being stronger on the line.
READ: 'Didn't think she get to the races': $5500 filly delivers on debut
Andrew Mallyon scored a late pick-up ride on Mister Bianco after Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michael Rodd fractured his hand at track work in Brisbane on Saturday morning.
'I feel for Michael Rodd who was meant to ride this horse,' Shailer said.
'He'll be out of play for a little bit but Andrew was a great replacement. He is familiar with the horse and has done a wonderful job.
'The penny is starting to drop with Mister Bianco and he is racing with confidence.
'Three months ago, he wouldn't have won that race.
'He would have found a way to get himself beaten so it is good that he's got that killer instinct about him and he was really good off what was a strong tempo today.'
Meanwhile, Gold Coast trainer Adam Campton struck a blow at big odds when mare Zouperb ($17) won the BM80 Handicap (1100m).
Campton had been considering aiming the five-year-old mare at the Gai Waterhouse Classic but instead opted for the easier assignment over the shorter trip.
'She was purchased online for $30,000 and she's now got a Saturday metro win next to her name,' Campton said.
'Around the turn I was quietly confident but I knew we had to chase down a couple of handy horses and I was seeing (runner-up) End Assembly coming late,' Campton said.