| Superstar Sydney mare Autumn Glow made a barnstorming return to the track when she beat boom four-year-old Sheza Alibi in a memorable Group One Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday. |
| Having her first start since her only defeat, when third behind brilliant gelding Sir Delius in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in April, Autumn Glow showed she was in for a lucrative campaign for connections with a solid win in a crack field. The widely anticipated match race lived up the billing with the year older and more seasoned Chris Waller prepared star holding an almost length and a half margin on the post over her Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained rival. Waller, who prepares the Arrowfield and Hermitage raced five-year-old, said he was looking forward to more tough battles with the reigning Doncaster winner over the coming weeks and months. “It was great that Peter Moody and the owners brought the mare up to Sydney,” Waller said. “This was the first round of competition running these headline horses.” “People come to the races because they want to see these great horses racing each other. We don’t always want the clashes but it is important for the sport. We have come out of round one pretty well but I’m pretty sure there will be round two or round three.” “We know how good she is, so nothing has changed. We just needed her to come back and show where she is.” “Peter said Sheza Alibi was 82.7 percent so we might be 83.1 percent. It is hard to quantify. She was ready to go because I didn’t want her to have a tough time first-up. If he (James McDonald) had to reach beyond what she was fit enough to do then that is tough. She was forward enough for sure.” Champion jockey James McDonald was also busy choosing from a long list of superlatives for the outstanding daughter of The Autumn Sun. “She’s so special, just her gate speed and tractability,” a beaming McDonald said. “She knows when she’s in a race because from the 500 to the 400, it’s like she just powers into herself and just builds herself, she just knows.” “It’s an incredible feeling and even though she puts herself in good spots, for her to have that audacity to fill her lungs up and know it’s go time, just let rip, it’s just incredible.” Like Waller, McDonald said he loved the fact his champ was able to pit her powers against another star in Sheza Alibi. “She (Autumn Glow) doesn’t have to improve. The second horse, take nothing away, she’s special as well. An incredible performance by her and I think we just embrace the two mares for how good they are.” “Even if they clash they’re two special, great horses that have come along at the same time. One’s a year older, but when they have their clashes it’s going to be some great rivalry.” “I wouldn’t swap all to go for nothing but I love the competitiveness,” McDonald added. Born at the famed Kelly family’s Newhaven Park at Boorowa, Autumn Glow was sold through the Newhaven draft to Silverdale Farm and Brian McGuire’s Shrone Bloodstock for $600,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. The sale topper of her generation, Autumn Glow is a daughter of the triple Group One winning South African race mare Via Africa (Var). She is one of two Group One winners produced by Via Africa. The other is exciting young sire, Golden Rose winner In the Congo. Via Africa’s third runner is the six time winner in Hong Kong, Pleasant Endeavor. Winner: Autumn Glow Breeding: The Autumn Sun-Via Africa (Var) Race: ATC Winx Stakes G1 (1400m) Sold for: $600,000 Sale: 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale Earnings: $9,179,000 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) |
