Champion mare Winx staged a brilliant effort, resuming here, to score her 18th successive win. She has previously shown a tendency to be fractious in the barriers but she missed the start badly on this occasion and was a clear last, some four lengths behind the second last runner, in the early stages. Hugh Bowman did not panic and let her settle before improving (deep) from the 600m. She then unwound a brilliant sprint in the straight, finishing determinedly for a half-neck victory at the post in a yet again amazing performance. Her younger stablemate, Group One winning mare Foxplay had a good trip in third place on the rails, got through on the inner to take a clear lead at the 200m, only to be caught on the post by a champion, in a brave first up performance. Ecuador went to the front, as expected, set a reasonable tempo (first 800m in 48.94) in the very windy conditions and fought back well for a close up third, in a good first up effort.