By Caryl Williamson
Champion Winx has had a strong hit-out at Rosehill ahead of her Apollo Stakes return but stablemate Omei Sword has been restricted to slow work.
Omei Sword is the early favourite for the Light Fingers Stakes on Saturday's Randwick program after missing a start a week earlier in the Eskimo Prince because of a slight muscle problem.
Strong work: Winx.Credit: Ben Rushton
Trainer Chris Waller said in a stable statement that the filly would have a more searching workout on Wednesday morning before a decision is made whether the Golden Rose runner-up returns on Saturday.
"Chris had planned to gallop her this morning but has decided to give her another 24 hours before galloping her," the statement said.
"Therefore she will gallop tomorrow morning. Chris will then make a decision after that gallop as to whether he will accept with her or not.
"At this stage she has not missed a day's work but has been restricted to slow work since last Thursday."
Race jockey Hugh Bowman rode Winx in her 1000-metre workout on Tuesday with multiple group 1 winner Preferment.
She is at $1.20 to extend her winning streak to 14 in the Apollo Stakes on Saturday, her first start since her defence of the Cox Plate in October.
Meantime, Zoutenant's first start for Gary Portelli has left the trainer baffled and he will give him the chance to redeem himself at Warwick Farm on Wednesday
Group 2-placed behind Exosphere in the 2015 Roman Consul Stakes when trained by Kevin Moses, Zoutenant failed to recapture that form during a stint with Gai Waterhouse.
At his first start for his latest trainer at Randwick on January 26, Zoutenant finished 10 lengths last over 1000 metres when ridden by apprentice Deanne Panya.
He is scheduled to line up over the same distance on Wednesday in a benchmark 77 race with senior jockey Tye Angland to ride.
"His run was too bad to be true," Portelli said.
"He has been working the joint down and why he was so poor first-up is beyond me.
"He is better than that as his early record shows, so we'll hopefully see an improvement."
As a two-year-old, Zoutenant won the Wyong Magic Millions race in December 2014 in which subsequent group 1 winner Single Gaze ran third.
Portelli also has Star Aspiration looking to break her maiden at the Warwick Farm meeting.
While the pair are trying to step up the ladder, stablemate She Will Reign has come through her sparkling barrier trial on Monday in good order as she heads to the Silver Slipper.
The filly earned outright favouritism for next month's Golden Slipper with a nine-length win in the trial.
Portelli will also give Sebring Express another chance to qualify for the Slipper after a mishap in the Widden Stakes when Panya came off the filly and suffered a broken collarbone and facial laceration.
"Sebring Express came through that as good as gold," he said.
"Deanne doesn't really know what happened other than she lost her iron.
"We will put a set of blinkers on Sebring Express and give her a barrier trial and hopefully get her to the Sweet Embrace Stakes."
AAP