| Autumn Boy announced himself as one of the Southern Hemisphere’s hottest three-year-olds and most lucrative stallion prospects with a brilliant win in today’s $3 million Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m). |
| Leading home a 1-2 finish for Magic Millions sold runners, Autumn Boy overcame a tricky position coming to the turn before finding room and accelerating away for a soft win. At the post the untapped colt held a three quarter length margin over Planet Red, who ran tremendously for connections to nab second in the classic for three-year-olds. It was yet another big race win for champion trainer Chris Waller, teaming up with Damian Lane to go back to back in the Guineas. Adding extra satisfaction for Waller was the fact the colt is by his former Guineas winner The Autumn Sun who is establishing himself a star sire at Arrowfield Stud. “We’re proud of all the horses that come through the stable. But when we’ve got champions like The Autumn Sun and we’ve got sons and daughters, it’s pretty special.” “Last week, Autumn Glow, now it’s a super colt with Autumn Boy; it’s pretty special.” Waller said the Caulfield Guineas was always the goal for Autumn Boy after his stakes win in Brisbane during the Winter Carnival. “That looked his race,” Waller noted. “We like to just identify talent and then try and get them to that big ticket item.” “Today’s such an important race in the horse’s career, a colt who announces themself on the big stage.” “(Owner) Glenn Ritchie and his wife, they’ve been so supportive of us, Charlie and myself. They’ve become good friends of ours and kept investing and we’ve managed to buy them a really nice horse.” Connections weren’t concerned with his last start seventh in the Group One Golden Rose when the race wasn’t run to suit. “Not really, no. It was a track record time. Full credit to the winner, he led them up and won.” “The backmarkers just didn’t quite get into the race because they were just running so quick. We didn’t lose faith, the ratings people and our form guys said he’s the one, and sure enough, they were right.” “The sectional timings suggested he actually ran quite well. It was his first time in the big dance or the big-time races.” “He’s come through the run well; he’s come down here with plenty of time.” “The team down here have done a great job. We brought him to Caulfield; we ticked all the boxes, everything suggested he was ready to run a big race.” Autumn Boy has always shown connections plenty of ability and he displayed early in his career he was going to be a force into the future. “I think you just consistently get feedback from your team. As a young horse before he even trialed, we were getting positive feedback.” “When he trialed, it was positive. When he had his first run, he beat a short-price favourite from the stable at a big price.” “Everything’s been positive, we took him to Queensland and gave him a trip away. I think we did that with his dad as well, maybe all of our Caulfield Guineas winners.” “It’s just about experience, we know they’ve got talent and harnessing that.” While he is still an active acceptor, Waller said he doubted whether he would ask the star colt to contest the WS Cox Plate, Australasia’s weight-for-age championship. “Not sure,” he noted. “I don’t normally because they’re still babies.” “He’s only had four or five starts, I think. So, it’ll be unlikely for us, but we’ll see what comes out next week, you’ve got the luxury of just sitting tight.” “He’s not overly raced so you can do it but we’ll have to see how good Via Sistina’s going,” Waller added. It was back to back wins for Waller and Lane in the Caulfield Guineas with horses purchased from the Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Exciting young Coolmore stallion Private Life won the race twelve months ago. “He’s a beautiful colt, just takes everything in his stride, very easy to deal with and a great turn of foot when needed,” a delighted Damian Lane said. “So you need that to win these big races, and when he joined in, he really joined in.” “I had a great run. I was able to use my barrier speed, was good, and just found myself in a bit of a tricky spot in the corner.” “But once I navigated that, he put the race away pretty quick,” Lane added. “(He’s a) very easy horse to handle, and as a result, had a nice run.” Autumn Boy was bred by Richard Rutherford and sold through the Amarina Farm draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000 to Waller and leading bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster. He’s already earned over $2 million from just five starts.Today’s feature winner is the latest topliner for his sire, former Caulfield Guineas winner The Autumn Sun. A son of Redoute’s Choice, The Autumn Sun was in the news seven days ago as the sire of brilliant Epsom Handicap winner Autumn Glow, another Gold Coast purchase. Today’s star is one of two winners produced from three named foals for the unraced mare Rosegarden. Her other runner Souad was fourth in a Listed Calaway Gal Stakes. A daughter of Cox Plate winner Savabeel, Rosegarden is from the Group Three White Robe Lodge Handicap winner O’Reilly Rose (O’Reilly). She won four other listed races among nine career wins. O’Reilly Rose is a three quarter sister to Group One Newmarket Handicap winner and sire Shamexpress. Autumn Boy was one of seven Magic Millions sold graduates to win at stakes level on the day. Kicking away the winning streak was Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel, $55,000 GC Yearling Sale) in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes at Ashburton. Next up was Hidden Motive (Capitalist, $120,000 GC Yearling Sale) who led home a MM sold 1-2 in the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes at Rosehill. Showing its rivals a clean set of racing plates Zou Sensation (Zoustar, $150,000 GC Yearling Sale) scored a dazzling win at Caulfield in the Listed Weekend Hussler Handicap. The fourth stakes winner for the day was Storm Boy’s half brother Shangri la Boy (Pierro, $375,000 GC Yearling Sale) who scored a brilliant all the way win in the Group Three Gloaming Stakes at his third lifetime start. Following the Guineas win of Autumn Boy it was the turn of Walsh Bay (Deep Field, $85,000 GC Horses in Training Sale) to extend her winning streak to five in the Listed Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm. Stakes win seven was notched in South Australia with the Tasmanian bred, sold and owned Cartoon Graveyard (Turffontein, $50,000 Tasmanian Yearling Sale) scoring the easiest of wins in the Listed Murray Bridge Cup. Winner: Autumn Boy Breeding: The Autumn Sun-Rosegarden (Savabeel) Race: MRC Caulfield Guineas G1 (1600m) Sold for: $200,000 Sale: 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Earnings: $2,010,000 Breeder: Mr R Rutherford Vendor: Amarina Farm (As Agent) Buyer: Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock Owner: EGC Ritchie Trainer: Chris Waller (Flemington) |
