Champion race mare Winx's owners say they are "ecstatic" to welcome a "healthy" filly foal in the early hours of this morning.
Winx, 11, was named World's Best Racehorse in 2018 and retired a year later, after 33 consecutive wins, including 25 Group 1 wins, and a record four Cox Plates, returning to stud to begin her broodmare career.
The foal, sired by Coolmore's Pierro, was born overnight to the delight of its owners.
"The Tighe, Kepitis, and Treweeke families are ecstatic to announce that the future champion we've all been waiting for has arrived!" they said in a statement.
"Both mum and foal are healthy and doing very well.
"Thank you to the amazing team who have cared for Winx and her filly throughout this journey.
"We wish Winx all the best as she starts this new chapter as a super mum."
The filly, whose name is yet to be announced to the public, is up and about and bonding with its mum.
"Our hearts are so full to see Winx and her baby together as one," the owners said.
"Winx was the ultimate on the track but to see her as a mother she is even more impressive.
"[She has been] by her filly's side showing her love and guidance from the minute she took her first breath.
"This is what we have all been waiting for — Winx and her baby."
A long journey for hero horse
Winx tragically lost her first foal, also a filly, to I Am Invincible in 2020.
Winx sold for $230,000 as a yearling at the 2013 Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast and went on to retire with career prize money totalling more than $26 million.
Before her first pregnancy, experts tipped Winx could break financial records as a broodmare, predicting her foals would probably be valued at $1 million or higher.
Winx was also the third-ever horse, after Black Caviar and Sunline, to be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame while she was still racing, largely under the seat of Hugh Bowman.
