As the second leg of a G1 race-to-race double for The Autumn Sun at Rosehill on Saturday, Chris Waller’s glamour mare Autumn Glow remained unbeaten, winning the $1m G1 ATC George Ryder Stakes (1500m) in emphatic fashion to go eleven from eleven.
As the third consecutive G1 victory for the formidable Chris Waller/James McDonald combo at Rosehill, it was no surprise to see Autumn Glow jump the short-priced favourite.
With a host of runners going forward once the gates crashed opened, McDonald allowed Autum Glow to settle just off the hustle and bustle as the mare’s stablemate, G1 Golden Rose winner Beiwacht went forward to take up the running.
As Godolphin’s Beiwacht took the field into the home straight, McDonald came wide on Autumn Glow with the mare hitting the lead with 250m to run, breaking away from the rest of the field to win by two and a quarter lengths untouched, taking her record to eleven unbeaten wins and $7,582,000 in earnings.
With Waller knowing what it takes to train a Champion mare, he feels Autumn Gow deserves that title.
“Yeah, in my eyes she is - I'm qualified to know what one's like,” said Waller. “So, yeah, she's a very talented horse. Obviously, longevity is the key now. If she keeps doing that, she'll be a champion for sure.”
“I guess the last two were sort of pressure, pressure, without pulling ourselves up - we know what racing's about, we know what's going on.
“To get that out of the way and then to deal with a champion in the next race, it's pretty special. Yeah, I'm sure he got a good kick out of it.
As for where she heads next, a decision still is yet to be made.
“Just wait, wait. We'll give them our best opinion of what we think. Look, she just does everything so effortlessly. That'll help her get 2000m. It'd be so good to get some feedback from James. Go and ask James.
Clearly on a high, not only breaking Damien Oliver’s G1-winning record the race prior, but winning three consecutive G1 wins at the meeting, McDonald nows how special the mare is.
“It was evident in the week when Chris said you'll see something special, so when he says that, I take notice because her work's been phenomenal. I truly believe she loves fast ground, because there's not a horse that could come with her.”
“It doesn't matter what is in the race. She's just got an amazing sustained speed, it's quite incredible what we're witnessing. She's the jockey's dream - you get nervous on horses, certain horses throughout your life, and she's one you don't."
When told that Waller had called the mare a Champion, McDonald was happy to go along with him.
“Did he? Yeah, well, he knows what a champion looks like. And for him to say that, he doesn't take it lightly. I'm sure she is. And he's a champion too."
Topping the 2023 Inglis Easter yearling sale when knocked down for $1.8m from the draft of Silverdale Farm to Arrowfield Stud and Hermitage Thoroughbreds, the Newhaven Park bred Autumn Glow was originally sold to o Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock for $600,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
One of two individual G1 winners from three to the races out of South African Champion Sprinter, and multiple G1 winner Via Africa (Var), Autumn Glow is a three-quarter-sister to Newgate Farm’s G1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes winner In The Congo (Snitzel).
Unfortunately, Via Africa’s breeding career has not gone to plan since foaling the unbeaten mare, having not produced a foal in the subsequent four season, although the mare was covered by Zoustar in the spring.
With five individual G1 winners to his progeny recorded headed by Autumn Glow, and her dual G1-winning son Autumn Boy who captured the Rosehill Guineas the race prior at the meeting, The Autumn Sun covered his largest ever book of mares during the spring, with 178 mares covered at a fee of $66,000 (inc. GST).
Ten lots by The Autumn Sun will be offered at the upcoming Inglis Easter yearling sale with one of the most interesting being Lot 209, with the Arrowfield Stud-consigned filly bred on a very similar cross, being out of a grand-daughter of Var, while Autumn Glow is out of a daughter of Var.
