Had she started in the Melbourne Cup this year the mare would have humped 64.5 kilograms, completely overwhelming the assessment of champion Makybe Diva when she notched the Big One for the third time in 2005.

In her two races this campaign, particularly the Chelmsford at Royal Randwick last start, Winx didn't produce the dominance of recent campaigns.

Thus Saturday's George Main Stakes, a more fitting traditional title than the sponsor's toothpaste tag today, heightens the anticipation even more than last start which couldn't draw more than 10,000 to headquarters, miserable compared to the 40,000-plus for the Swans at the SCG last Saturday.

With recent heart-stoppers Winx has added more theatre to performances: missed the kick by four lengths in the Warwick Stakes followed by being off the bit near the turn, in peril until the last 50 metres, and without the assistance of Hugh Bowman's dropped whip, did what champions do – win, alas not in the manner of putting rivals to the sword as she did mostly in previous campaigns.

Trainer Chris Waller maintains Winx is at least as good as ever. Perhaps her last two performances were indications she is older, bigger and needs more racing to reach her peak.

But her Melbourne Cup rating by Greg Carpenter, Racing Victoria's executive general manager – racing, a major player in the handicapping, opined on ABC News Radio's Hoof On The Till, emphasised the weight factor.

Regarded as vastly superior to Irish stayer Order Of St George, top weight this year with 58 kilograms due to being a strong European credentials, Winx (57 kilograms) was receiving two kilos from Red Excitement, who made hackles rise with catch-me-if-you can tactics, in the Chelmsford.

Under handicap conditions Winx would be conceding Red Excitement half the Randwick grandstand. Waller counters stressing the vagaries of weight-for-age racing, sectional times and sprints that can bring the outstanding undone.

Remember, he highlighted how Grand Armee downed Lonhro ($1.26) in the 2004 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

Lonhro was great but not in the Winx class, while Grand Armee was considerably better than Red Excitement. And Darren Beadman, on Lonhro, had a bad day at the office.

However, Makybe Diva was a champion. After winning two Melbourne Cups and a Cox Plate, the mare was given 58 kilograms to dull her bid for the remarkable treble but to no avail. 

Carpenter spouts weight is the equaliser in the metric two miles, with Comic Court (59.5 kilograms) in 1950 being the last top of the handicap to triumph, supporting the calculation of only 58 kilograms to Order Of St George, trained by Aidan O'Brien with strong links to Lloyd Williams, the Melbourne Cup mastermind.

Carpenter recalled that a "crusty Sydney journalist" was aghast when the handicappers gave Irish stayer Admire Rakti only a half-kilo penalty in the 2014 Melbourne Cup (58.5 kilograms) after his dominance in the Caulfield Cup.

Weight had little to do with the Admire Rakti failure in the Melbourne Cup.

The Japanese stayer returned to the dressing down sheds following the race and dropped dead.

Racing Victoria is attempting to "help to link" the cups by announcing any horse allocated 56 kilograms or above in the Melbourne Cup would not be penalised should they win the Caulfield Cup.

Lack of consultation has peeved VRC chairman Amanda Elliott, but on a more positive note Flemington has an outstanding program on Saturday, an example why betting turnover on Victorian races topped the $6 billion mark last season.

Even without Order Of St George, Williams will be hard to beat in the Melbourne Cup and punters should get some indication at Flemington on Saturday from his six acceptors in the 2500 metre Japan Racing Association Trophy, headed by Melbourne Cup winner Almandin (Damian Oliver), who is upped 4.5 kilograms to 56.5 kilograms for the Big One this year.

Williams has switched Kerrin McEvoy, the best two mile jockey in Australia at present, to stablemate Crocodile Rock.

But the presence of Winx, bolstered by the promo for her 60 Minutes role this Sunday, beats anything Flemington has to offer.

Get into the company of a champion. Go to Royal Randwick.  

The story, The weight and expectation on Winx, first appeared on the Sydney Morning Herald.