Winx will have a gear change in the Chelmsford Stakes with the ear muffs she wears in the parade ring to stay on during the race.

The champion gave her fans a scare last time out in the Warwick Stakes when she missed the start by four lengths but still managed to win to extend her winning streak to 18.

But trainer Chris Waller doesn’t want to go through that again although the mare has had a few problems in the gates in the past.

“It just helps block out the background noise,” Waller said.

“She wears them at the races. We take them off as soon as she leaves the parade ring and that’s the same in trials and races,

“We are doing something different. The ear muffs shouldn’t be confused as anything too aggressive.

“They can still hear. It’s simply like wetsuit material.”

Waller said the ear muffs blocked out about 20 per cent of the ambient noise.

“She’ll still hear Hugh Bowman saying ‘it’s time to go’,” he said.

Waller said the earmuffs would stay on as long as required.

“Maybe when she chills out and loses that freshness she may not need them.”

Waller said he and the Winx’s rider Hugh Bowman had decided against using a barrier blanket.

“Hugh said if she happened to half rear and the blanket fell off we might end up with more problems than it’s worth,” Waller said.

SYDNEY, Aug 26 AAP