CHIPPING NORTON STAKES

1600m, $600,000, weight-for-age

HISTORY

* First run in 1925 when won by Wallace Mortlake

NOTABLE WINNERS

* Phar Lap (1930), Bernborough (1946), Comic Court (1951), Delta (1952), Sky High (1962), Rain Lover (1969), Gay Icarus (1971), Emancipation (1984), Our Waverley Star (1987), Octagonal (1997), Lonhro (2003), Tuesday Joy (2009), Winx (2016-19).

* Tie The Knot won the race four years in a row from 1999-2002, a feat repeated by Winx between 2016-19.

TALKING POINTS

* Trainer Chris Waller is chasing his ninth win. Winx has won the past four. Waller's others winners: Danleigh (2011), Shoot Out (2012, 2013) and Boban (2014). He has five runners this year – Come Play With Me, Life Less Ordinary, Djukon, Verry Elleegant and Danzdanzdance

* Jockey Hugh Bowman has won it seven times and rides the James Cummings-trained Avilius. His victories came aboard Winx (2016-19), Shoot Out (2012-13) and Danleigh (2011)

WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING:

“It's a very good race this year, a very open race. I think Avilius gets advantaged if it's a wet track. He just seems to go to another level. He's a good horse without it, he can win without the wet track, but if it was wet I would be even more confident,” – jockey Hugh Bowman on Avilius

“He's a real racehorse, especially with those blinkers, he knows what it's all about and gives 110 per cent” – Homesman's jockey Ben Melham.

“He's got very good form from the spring so if he can run up to that form he should be competitive” Te Akau Shark's trainer Jamie Richards