For the past four years, horses of all shapes and sizes and all backgrounds have lined up and failed against Winx. There have been the tough ones, the nippy ones, the classically-bred ones right through to the rich, imported ones.

But rarely during that four years of absolute dominance has she come up against a horse that, initially, had so few credentials to be racing on the same card as Winx let alone in the champion’s history-making finale.

That horse is the grey Kiwi mare Danzdanzdance, who even today looks well out of place against the superstar.

While Winx is strong and robust, Danzdanzdance is light and narrow and at just 470 kilograms will look miniature against Winx when the pair go out on the track for Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

But is another side to the still-emerging Danzdanzdance that lines up with Winx. She has had 14 runs for two group 1 wins. After 14 starts, Winx too had won two group 1s but was saving something special for her 15th start – it was her first Cox Plate demolition.

Ruakaka trainer Chris Gibbs, who prepares Danzdanzdance in partnership with Michelle Bradley, is also looking for a career-best performance from his mare at her 15th start, although he fully understands that such an effort will still not be enough for a Queen Elizabeth Stakes upset bigger than Octagonal’s in 1997 or his son Lonhro’s seven years later.

‘’Running second to her would be just an amazing thing in itself,’’ Gibbs said on Monday. ‘’I think if we could manage that, it would be pretty much the top of what we’ve come for.

‘’You never know, but it’s pretty hard seeing her getting beaten. She’s got no vulnerability at all. She can race anywhere and on any sort of a track so I couldn’t see that happening.

‘’We’re there to win, we’re not there trying to run second, but we’re happy to run second.

‘’I think the Winx camp that expects to win and I don’t blame them. But it’s exciting and she deserves her chance.’’

There was a time however when nothing was expected of Danzdanzdance. She failed to attract a bid when offered at the Karaka sales in New Zealand with breeder Graham Bax throwing in a $5000 bid so as to buy the filly back and have her eligible for a $1 million bonus race.

Gibbs said there wasn’t a lot about the filly as a young horse that would make you look twice at her.

‘’She hasn’t the greatest conformation,’’ he said. ‘’She’s a little bit here and there. A very tall, lanky, slightly-framed filly.

‘’She’s not a Winx. She’s not this big, robust machine. She only walks at 470 kilograms at her racing weight which is small compared to most others.

‘’She’s over 16 hands but she’s just narrow and that’s just her.’’

Danzdanzdance had two unplaced runs in Sydney as a three-year-old last season but she caught the eye when she finished third in Avilius at her first Australian start for 2019 in the Tancred Stakes.

Gibbs took plenty out of her effort.

‘’A few things went wrong but I thought she sprinted well on the ordinary part of the track,’’ he said. ‘’She showed that turn of foot. I think we should have run second if everything went to plan but she ran through the line well.

‘’She’s very well. (I am) very happy with the way she’s going. She’s eating and drinking and her work on Saturday.’’

Gibbs said he is uncertain how the Queen Elizabeth Stakes field will shape up.

‘’I’ll be very interested to see who pays up actually,’’ he said. ‘’I suppose you’ve got to factor in that it’s her last race and it would be great to be in the race but you’d like to think you’re going to be competitive.

‘’We’re certainly going in knowing that she will be competitive.

‘’It will be a day to remember no matter what, but I’d love to see her put in her best and see where she ends up.’’