Autumn Glow continues to grow burgeoning reputation
A crack at a Group 1 now also looks firmly on the agenda for Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) after she kept her unbeaten record intact in Saturday’s Tea Rose Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Randwick.
Ever since she made her low–key debut in a Benchmark 72 (1300m) at Rosehill in August, big things have been expected from the Chris Waller-trained Autumn Glow and she has risen to every challenge thrown at her.
Ridden by James McDonald for the first time in competitive action, the three-year-old travelled comfortably on the outside of Manaal (Tassort), eventually striking the front at the 300-metre mark and crossed the line 1.2 lengths ahead of the unexposed filly, Snow In May, to lead home a quinella for the Arrowfield Stud-based sire. Group 1 winner Manaal finished a further 0.01 lengths away in third.
Saturday’s win parlayed Autumn Glow’s last-start triumph in the Up And Coming Stakes (Gr 3, 1300m) and she will now bid for elite-level glory in the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) back at Randwick on October 5.
“We rode her a little bit closer today. There were no instructions. We just said to James to make sure she’s happy and comfortable. James said she has a beautiful action, I’m not going to take it away from her,” said Waller, whose stable had a torrid start to the week when they lost multiple Group 1 winner Riff Rocket (American Pharoah) due to complications following colic surgery.
“She’s probably a little bit foreign in that territory, but she’s all class. And if we get a perfect draw in the Flight Stakes, we can go back to riding her where we need to if she’s comfortable.
Waller, who enjoyed an across-state stakes treble on Saturday, trained The Autumn Sun to eight wins, five of those at Group 1 level and he said the filly reminded him of her father.
“She’s the spitting image of her dad,” he said. “So we’re just taking her quietly. She’s improving with each run, being trained that way. We’ve got one race to go. I don’t think we’ll go too far beyond that.”
McDonald echoed Waller’s sentiments and said Autumn Glow possessed all the qualities to reach the top.
“She’s very good,” the winning rider said. “She’s just so economical in her action. She’s got a great constitution, good strength about her [and a] really good mind.
“She’ll keep improving, too.”
Bookmakers responded by making Autumn Glow the $1.80 clear favourite for the Flight Stakes.
Autumn Glow (3 f The Autumn Sun – Via Africa Var) is a three-quarter sister to Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) winner and now Newgate Farm-based sire In The Congo (Snitzel) with the pair being out of three-time South African Grade 1 scorer Via Africa (Var).
She was the highest-priced yearling sold at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Sale with owners Arrowfield and Hermitage paying $1.8 million for her out of the Silverdale Farm draft, with that operation having teamed up with Shrone Bloodstock to purchase the filly for $600,000 from the draft of her breeders Newhaven at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Weanling Sale in 2022.
Underlining Autumn Glow’s precious status, Via Africa had Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) foals born deceased in 2022 and 2023, and was not served last season.
Autumn Glow is one five stakes winners for The Autumn Sun, who is sitting out the 2024 season as he continues to recover from a pelvic injury.