| Superstar mare Autumn Glow extended her unbeaten run to ten with a stirring victory in today’s $1 million Group One Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday. |
| Sent out the red hot favourite after a strong first up win in the Group Two Apollo Stakes a fortnight ago, Autumn Glow finished too strong for her classy stablemate Aeliana for another top line win. The top seller at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale sent her earnings soaring past $7.5 million with her second Group One success. “She does everything right, simple as that,” jubilant trainer Chris Waller said. “Doesn’t matter where she draws, what the track conditions are, or distances, she puts herself in the race.” “A different type of horse to some of those good horses I’ve trained when they get back and they have your heart in your mouth, but I still have my heart in my mouth. But, yeah, she’s up on the speed. She puts herself there, so that’s the difference.” Where next for Autumn Glow? “George Ryder,” Waller stated. “I’d love to try her at 2000m, but she’s got to be dominant in her next win to give us that ultimate satisfaction that she can run the 2000 (metres), otherwise it’s probably the Doncaster.” “She’s got a lot of weight (for the Doncaster), but she’s a good horse.” “I’ll talk to Mr Messara and the Hermitage team in Hong Kong. I respect what they’ve got to say more than anything. It’s still in play, yes, definitely still in play.” “The only thing with the Doncaster, there’s a few unknowns. You can get barrier draws, like barrier 20 and things like that. She’s had some tricky draws in her previous races, but I guess when you’ve got a smaller weight-for-age field where you draw isn’t as important, it makes the job a bit easier.” The mare is quickly becoming one of the favourites for champion jockey James McDonald. “Her demeanour, her presence, she knows she’s so good,” McDonald said when asked why Autumn Glow was so good. “You can just see her strut around, even cantering to the start looking around like ‘you guys have got none’. She’s pretty good and she moves like a dream.” “She just breathes so well and (is) so push-button. She’s got an incredible turn of foot. We weren’t going to see the same performance we did first-up because of the ground. Even though it wasn’t to her liking she was always going to win, even if I went another furlong.” “She’s 10 from 10 and Chris has been there and done it all before. So he knows what to do with her. I guess she can’t be in better hands because obviously it’s a lot of pressure with her.” While connections were wondering what races should be the target for their champ, McDonald has little doubt. “I think she should run in the Queen Elizabeth,” McDonald said. “She’ll win it.” The superstar daughter of The Autumn Sun was a $600,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale purchase for Silverdale Farm and Brian McGuire’s Shrone Bloodstock in 2022. She was sold through the Newhaven Park draft. Autumn Glow is the second Group One winner from three runners for the former crack South African racemare Via Africa. Her three quarter brother is In the Congo (Snitzel), a winner of the Golden Rose Stakes and young Newgate Farm based sire whose first yearlings have been selling this season. Via Africa, a daughter of Var, was the Champion Sprinter of South Africa in 2013-14. She was a three time winner at the elite level among 10 lifetime successes. Autumn Glow provided just one of six stakes wins on the day for horses sold by Magic Millions. Earlier in the day Spicy Miss ($150,000 GC buy from Widden Stud by Trapeze Artist) and Campione d’Italia ($500,000 GC buy from Baramul Stud by Snitzel) enhanced their Golden Slippers prospects with their respective wins in the Sweet Embrace and Skyline Stakes’. At Flemington another promising juvenile Gin Twist ($220,000 GC buy from Newgate Farm by Home Affairs) couldn’t have been more impressive in winning the Listed TAB Plate. King of Roseau made it back to back features by capturing the Group Three Liverpool City Cup in sensational style. Last start the son of Capitalist ($95,000 GC buy from Ashleigh Thoroughbreds) scored an equally as impressive win in the $2 million Magic Millions Cup (RL). Meanwhile, across the Nullarbor the exciting filly Wonderfully Made ($250,000 Perth buy from J Farms) scored the softest of Listed wins in the Ascot 1000 Guineas. The filly carried the famous China Horse Club colours to victory for the Dan Morton stable. Winner: Autumn Glow Breeding: The Autumn Sun-Via Africa (Var) Race: ATC Verry Elleegant Stakes G1 (1600m) Sold for: $600,000 Sale: 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale Earnings: $7,582,000 Breeder: Newhaven Park Stud Vendor: Newhaven Park Buyer: Silverdale Farm & Shrone Bloodstock Owners: Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd (Mgr: JM Messara) & Hermitage (Mgr: Ms SM Clarke) Trainer: Chris Waller (Rosehill) |
