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Winx returned to racing at Randwick on Saturday, claiming a stunning victory in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes over 1400m to further enhance her reputation.

Sent out the very short favourite, Winx missed the start by around four lengths to settle at the tale of the field for much of the race but a well judged ride by Hugh Bowman ensured her 18th straight victory.

Leaving his run to exactly the right time down the outside, Winx knuckled down over the final 200m to grab her stablemate Foxplay on the line with Ecuador third.

Daily Sectionals’ Vince Accardi clocked her final 600m in a slick 31.98 seconds which is one of the fastest sectionals clocked at Randwick, albeit assisted by the strong winds behind.

Having to make her own run from last down the outside, Winx showed not only her exceptional speed but her will to win, doing what was required to edge out the talented Foxplay.

Whilst returning a Timeform figure of 118p well below her peak of 134, the circumstances in which she won required a horse of her peak rating to be able to do what she did.

Using sectional mark-ups, Winx produced a Time rating of 120 which is on par with previous performances and could well be her best first up effort to date.

Likely to progress to the Group 2 Chelmsford in two week's time, Winx certainly looks to have come back better than ever with a third successive Cox Plate at her mercy.

Of the beaten runners stablemate Foxplay also looks set for a big spring preparation running to a new career peak Timeform figure of 117, three pounds above her win in the Queen Of The Turf last campaign.

The now four-year-old mare is likely to progress to some feature Group 1 races during the spring with a race like the Myer a potential target for the daughter of Foxwedge.

Ecuador who was also resuming, led for much of the race and was not too far away in third, returning a Timeform figure of 121, his highest since running third in the Group 1 C.F Orr Stakes earlier in the year.

The opening race of the day saw Formality return a winner in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes, edging out Alizee with Champagne Cuddles third.

Last seen when runner up in the Group 2 Percy Sykes, Formality who kicked back strongly over the concluding stages ran up to the same rating of 109.

Taking on only a small field of five runners, Formality ran six pounds below 2016 winner Omei Sword and three pounds below 2015 winner Speak Fondly but certainly looks to have plenty to come this preparation.

With the Golden Rose the likely target, the daughter of Fastnet Rock is certainly one to keep an eye on this preparation as she progresses through her preparation and goes up in trip.

Alizee in second produced a strong effort and returned a Timeform rating of 107, nine pounds above her resuming win at Warwick Farm the start prior.

Off a slight freshen up from the Brisbane carnival Deploy showed good speed to win the Group 3 Show County Quality over 1200m.

Sitting off the speed for much of the race, Deploy did enough to edge out The Virginian in second with Burning Passion third, running a new track record of 1:08:06 (33.02).

The Gerald Ryan-trained runner who has now won an impressive seven of his 15 starts, placing on a further six occasions, returned a new career peak Timeform rating of 108, two pounds above his win in the Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m).

Deploy ran well below 2016 winner Tycoon Tara (113) but was only one pound below 2015 winner Decision Time.

The Virginian was very good only narrowly beaten into second, running to a new career peak Timeform rating of 104, two pounds above his win at Doomben earlier in the year.

Burning Passion with the 56kg was also good in third and ran to 106 with Omei Sword never a chance after missing the start and finding herself back in the field.