Site crafted and built by Kick Collective
Source: racing.com
Aiden O’Brien equaled his own 2017 world record for Group 1 wins in a calendar year in the US over the weekend, but, astonishingly, the Irish star may be immediately challenged for the honour by none other than an Australian trainer.
Such has been Chris Waller’s 2026, he now finds himself in rare air indeed with his 25 Group 1 wins this year alone the same tally as the US legend Bobby Frankel reached in 2003.
Frankel held the record until O’Brien’s 28 wins in 2017. O’Brien again reached that total at Keeneland over the weekend in the Breeders’ Cup Turf with Benvenuto Cellini after earlier Group 1 wins with Sun Goddess in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Haffner in the Juvenile Turf.
O’Brien can finish the year with potential Group 1 wins in Hong Kong and in the Japan Cup, while Waller is likely to move closer to him this week with his raft of Flemington runners headed by Autumn Glow in the Champions Mile on Saturday.
Waller is coming off a best-ever record-breaking Australasian season in 2025/26 with 22 Group 1 wins.
The champion trainer has two Melbourne Cup runners on Tuesday but both Asterix ($67) and Soul Of Spain ($35) are outsiders in the race that stops a nation.
Waller has big entries for the three Group 1s in Perth in November and early December and has also entered Aeliana and Birdman for the November 28 Japan Cup.
Waller is also expected to have entries for the international races in Hong Kong on December 13.
Chris Waller’s 25 Group 1 wins in 2026:
February 28: Verry Ellegant Stakes – Autumn Glow ($1.26)
March 7: Canterbury Stakes – Joliestar ($2.25)
March 14: Coolmore Classic – Lazzura ($5)
March 21: George Ryder Stakes – Autumn Glow ($1.28); Rosehill Guineas – Autumn Boy ($2.45); Ranvet Stakes – Aeliana ($1.60)
March 28: Tancred Stakes – Aeliana ($1.70);
April 4: ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes – Campione D’Italia ($4.20); T J Smith Stakes – Joliestar ($3.90)
April 11: ATC Oaks – Ohope Wins ($2.80)
April 18: Champagne Stakes – Fireball ($5.50); All Aged Stakes – Beiwacht ($6.50)
April 25: Australasian Oaks – Panova ($11)
May 23: Doomben Cup – Birdman ($3.30)
May 30: Queensland Derby – Providence ($5)
June 13: J J Atkins Stakes – Tron Bolt ($1.80)
August 22: Winx Stakes – Autumn Glow ($1.70)
August 29: Memsie Stakes – Beiwacht ($6)
September 19: Underwood Stakes – Birdman ($6); Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes – Angel Capital ($5)
October 3: Epsom Handicap – God’s Window ($26)
October 10: Toorak Handicap – Lady Shenandoah ($5.50)
October 17: King Charles III Stakes – Autumn Glow ($1.26)
October 31: Victoria Derby – Stormy Marco ($4.40); Empire Rose Stakes – Lady Shenandoah ($1.85)
Waller moved to 25 Group 1 winners for 2026 and 211 career Group 1 winners following Victoria Derby Day where he took the feature race with Stormy Marco and the Empire Rose Stakes with Lady Shenandoah. His run for the year is unlikely to be over just yet.
Waller’s Melbourne Cup runners Tuesday
Asterix ($67), Soul Of Spain ($35)
Waller’s other potential Group 1 contenders in Melbourne this spring:
De Armas (VRC Oaks, Thursday)
Autumn Glow (Champions Mile, Saturday)
Joliestar (Champions Sprint, Saturday)
Aeliana (Champions Stakes, Saturday)
Angel Capital, Beiwacht, Lazzura (Orr Stakes, November 14)
Waller’s potential Group 1 aims in Perth:
November 21 – Railway Stakes (Waller has nine entries)
November 28 – Winterbottom Stakes (four entries)
December 3 – Northerly Stakes (six entries)
Few would doubt Autumn Glow’s ability and class to take Saturday’s Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington, but her run for the $3 million race will prove a significant one in terms of her playing away from home for the first time.
Autumn Glow has never raced anti-clockwise, but it may not be the direction in which she gallops that is the one slight doubt going to headquarters this Saturday. Her vulnerability might be her lack of exposure to a new environment.
Autumn Glow has won 14 of her 15 starts but remarkably she has only raced at two courses with the five-year-old having 10 starts and Randwick and five at Rosehill. She has trialed just once at Warwick Farm last season.
Bookmakers do not appear to be too concerned with the new venue for Australia’s premier galloper as most have marked her at a cramped $1.30 quote.