Robbed of the opportunity to win the Group I MVRC Cox Plate last spring when ruled out of the Melbourne Spring Carnival on veterinary scans, the mighty Frankel stallion Sir Delius (GB) made amends in the best way possible at Randwick on Saturday.
The top lot at the 2024 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale when selling for 1.3million guineas, Sir Delius has always been a headline horse here in Australia since joining the stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
He stepped out for the first time last year winning the Group III BRC Chairman’s Quality (2000m) in an acclimatizing run and then last spring was second to Lindermann in the Group II ATC Chelmsford Stakes before going to Melbourne where he won both the Group I MRC Underwood Stakes and Group I VRC Turnbull Stakes
His owners will always wonder if Sir Delius may have won both the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup, but life is not about what if, it’s about what is and on Saturday Sir Delius brought about the end of an 11 race winning streak for the red hot favourite Autumn Glow in the $5million Group I ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m)..
The Chris Waller trained mare was stepping out to 2000m for the first time against some serious WFA opposition and the task proved beyond her.
Craig Williams rode a brilliant tactical race on Sir Delius to put him in front of Autumn Glow while Light Infantry Man (Fr) coming off his Australian Cup win set a fast pace in front… so fast that Nash Rawilller on Lindermann had to move to Plan B.
Lindermann, who is usually at the front of a race found himself a clear last, but that proved a blessing as events unfolded.
Sir Delius pinned his ears back and set sail for home off the turn with Autumn Glow endeavouring to chase, but she couldn’t bridge the gap and then Linderman descended from nowhere to blouse her on the line and grab second with the stallion holding a clear two length margin over the Waller trained duo.
They stopped the clock at 2:00.59 seconds.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott was emotional after the win given the ups and downs that Sir Delius and his owners have ridden to get here.
“This is the one that counted. Obviously it was difficult those first parts of the preparation, he had a little bit of expectation on him from what he was able to achieve in the spring, but we kept focus and this was the goal that we really wanted to be able to achieve,” he said.
“Today was the right set-up and Craig (Williams) executed it perfectly. I’m delighted for all the owners that are involved and the team that’s made it possible.”
Craig Williams has now three G1 races on Sir Delius.
The beaten jockeys offered insight into the best race of the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Nash Rawiller (Lindermann): “He went fantastic. There was four times more pressure the first furlong than he’s used to. It was important for me to get him in the rhythm I normally get him in. To do that I probably had to be where I was. I didn’t want to be midfield where he is getting upset in the run. I thought they went way too hard. He just ran a bottler.”
James McDonald (Autumn Glow): “She was so brave in defeat. They really stretched it from basically the 1400m. She relaxed and travelled into it beautifully. Credit to the winner. He sustained that speed. He was up there fighting and too good on the day.”
Sir Delius has the overall record of seven wins and five placings from 13 starts with prizemoney of $4.7million.
He was purchased originally by MV Magnier from the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2021 for 675,000 guineas and did his early racing for the Coolmore partners.
He was then snapped up as a tried horse at the 2024 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale for 1.3million guineas by De Burgh Equine / McKeever Bloodstock / Go Bloodstock and now runs for a big ownership group headed by Sir Owen Glenn in whose colours he runs and Frank and Christine Cook, who led him back to scale.
Sir Owen Glenn of Go Bloodstock was interviewed after the win. He won the Queen Elizabeth back in 2015 with another stallion Criterion, who was also ridden by Craig Williams.
Sir Delius is a sibling to Group III winner Nkosikazi and stakes-winner Juan Elcano and is the best of five winners from blue-blood Daylami mare Whatami, whose immediate family includes Champion US Turf mare Uni. Tracing back further it’s hugely influential family most notable for producing champion sire Invincible Spirit.
Sir Delius is a stallion with a big pedigree and would be an outstanding addition to any commercial stud farm in Australia.
