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Source: anzbloodstocknews.com
Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) put some icing on her new Horse of the Year title by proving her champion qualities again with a stirring victory in the Seven Sunrise Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Scaring off enough rivals to leave only a five-horse field competing for $1 million, and starting at her shortest quote to date of $1.16, Australia’s latest wonder mare was taken to the lead – in another career first.
James McDonald allowed her to stride at a moderate tempo, while Nash Rawiller on $12 second favourite Gringotts (Per Incanto) applied a little pressure outside the hulking mare’s rump.
Gringotts pushed up alongside Autumn Glow before the turn as third elect Ceolwulf (Tavistock) made his run, and for a moment turning for home it appeared the two geldings might give Autumn Glow a battle.
But McDonald first let the mare balance up under hands and heels riding, and with one flick of the whip at the 250 metres she burnt off her pursuers, coming away after a couple of extra reminders to score comfortably by 1.3 lengths.
Autumn Glow’s Chris Waller stablemate Aeliana (Castelvecchio) atoned for her first-up flop in the Winx Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) by working home well for second at $21, with Ceolwulf third.
Waller said he was pleased to see Autumn Glow add yet another string to her bow by leading in her second-up run following her victory in the Winx, which came days before her Horse of the Year title. He said he had discussed leading with McDonald before the race.
“He [McDonald] said we might end up in front and Nash might be there [on Gringotts],” the winning trainer said.
“It was good to watch and she showed how versatile she is. Like, she can put herself there or can go back, she just has a great turn of foot.
“I know she was the short-priced favourite but the horses in this race are all handy horses. There was a sprint from the 500 metres when it got serious, so it was good to see her lift and draw clear in the end.
“I’m pretty happy where she is at. There is some improvement to come, we haven’t screwed her down yet. We will just look after her and she will do the rest.”
Waller said there’d been no second thoughts after the announced decision to target the $5 million King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 1609m) at Randwick on October 17 with Autumn Glow, rather than take on Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) in $20 million The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) on the same day.
“I’m happy and comfortable with the decision,” he said. “Once we make a decision as a group, the ownership, jockey, my team, we run with it. I hope it’s a great contest and if something beats Ka Ying Rising, good luck to them.”
McDonald said he hadn’t gone out with a firm plan to lead, saying he’d have been happy anywhere in the first three.
“Once I got control, she just did it herself,” he said.
“Three-quarter pace around then dash home. They came to me, I let her balance up and she went away with it.
“She did what we needed her to do today. She had fun doing it. Ears pricked the whole way. You probably could say they got to her at the top of the straight.”
McDonald said there was still much improvement to come for Autumn Glow, noting that when second-up last campaign in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) she had only beaten Aeliana by “a head.”
“She will jump out of the ground third-up,” he said.
A product of Newhaven Park Stud, Autumn Glow is supremely bred, being the fourth foal of Via Africa (Var), South Africa’s Champion Sprinter of 2013-14 and a three-time Group 1 victor, and the dam of another top-tier winner in present day Newgate Farm sire In The Congo (Snitzel).
Via Africa has had her problems in the breeding barn, with no foals since Autumn Glow’s birth in 2021. She is now in foal to reigning champion sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor).
Autumn Glow was first purchased by Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock for $600,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale out of the Newhaven Park draft, before being offered in Silverdale’s draft at Inglis Easter 2023.
Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara made her the sale-topper there, paying $1.8 million in partnership with Hermitage Thoroughbreds. She’s now earned $9.76 million, winning 13 of her 14 starts.
The Autumn Sun – Arrowfield’s flagbearer and busiest stallion last spring in serving 178 mares at $66,000 – finished third on the Australian general sires’ table in 2025-26, behind his late barnmate Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and Zoustar.
He has 11 stakes winners from 266 runners at 4.13 per cent, but notably five of the 11 have won at the elite level.
The 11-year-old has earned a hefty fee increase for 2026, standing for $137,500 (inc. GST).
Meanwhile, Waller was delighted with the run of Aeliana, saying it was just as satisfying as Autumn Glow’s win, “if not more satisfying”.
“There was nothing wrong with her first-up run. Nash got off her last start and said she is going a treat. The way the race was run, she just couldn’t get into it,” he said.
“It was good to see her acquit herself well today. If she had run third or fourth I would have said good run but to see her push through the last 50 metres was great.”