The Autumn Sun is riding high following a brilliant Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas win for his top class son Autumn Boy and he featured on Sunday with a promising three year-old filly that might be looking towards spring Black Type.
Trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy and ridden by Damian Lane, Sunlit Serenade was dispatched to Seymour for a 1600m maiden to break the ice and duly got the job done as a short priced favourite.
Having her fourth race start and second this preparation, she looked well placed stepping up from 1300 to the mile and relished the task, travelling smoothly behind the leaders before steaming home down the outside to win by a length eased down.
A $110,000 Inglis Classic purchase for McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock Agency from the Sullivan Bloodstock draft, Sunlit Serenade is a half-sister to smart middle distance stakes-winner Harmony Rose, who as Group I placed in both the ATC Vinery Stud Stakes and Randwick Guineas.
She is the fourth winner from seven to race from Gowana, a winning More than Ready (USA) mare whose grand-dam is Group placed Sir Tristram (IRE) mare Iwan, a sister to Golden Slipper winner and leading sire Marauding.
The Autumn Sun has shot into second place on the Australian General Sires List by earnings to sit between I Am Invincible and Snitzel with Autumn Boy his second Group I winner this season joining Autumn Glow.
