Easter topper lands trial
The Chris Waller-trained Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) produced a pleasing effort at the Rosehill trials on Monday when she appeared for the first time in public.
Stepping out under James McDonald in a 900-metre heat, the daughter of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) broke well to lead and was never headed, coming home 1.2 lengths to the good over Phenom (Zoustar) with a further 1.7 lengths back to Take Achance On Me (Snitzel) in third.
Autumn Glow topped the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last year for Silverdale Farm when selling to Arrowfield and Hermitage Thoroughbreds for $1.8 million, having been successfully pinhooked by Silverdale and Shrone Bloodstock for $600,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Out of the Var (Forest Wildcat) mare Via Africa, a three-time Grade 1 winner in her native South Africa, Autumn Glow is a half-sister to 2021 Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) hero In The Congo (Snitzel), who was retired to Newgate Farm last year at an introductory fee of $33,000 (inc GST).
In the previous trial, Imperial Force (Snitzel) showed improvement from his debut fifth in a trial at Rosehill on March 1 when taking out a 900-metre heat.
Also trained by Chris Waller, the colt was given a quiet time by James McDonald last time, but this time was asked to quicken and did so to beat Shirvington (Capitalist) by 0.4 lengths in what was the quickest time of the juvenile heats.
Purchased by Coolmore for $1.6 million out of the Lime Country Thoroughbreds draft, Imperial Force is the final foal out of the now retired stakes-winning Gold Fever (Forty Niner) mare Ultimate Fever, making him a brother to Group 3 winner Sprightly Lass and stakes scorer Cordon Bleu.
The Autumn Sun and Snitzel’s barnmate Castelvecchio (Dundeel) also enjoyed a trial winner on Monday when his daughter, the Richard and Will Freedman-trained Zozo Narni, landed her 900-metre heat.
Purchased by NXG Racing from the Arrowfield Stud draft for $80,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2023, the filly, who was having her third official trial, finished 0.57 lengths ahead Lady Nikster (Zoustar). Zozo Narni is out of the winning Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Double Ranga, making her a half-sister to Group 2 scorer Scarlet Rain (Manhattan Rain).