One to Watch - Hawkesbury

Tara Madgwick - Thursday September 21

Back in 2018, champion trainer Chris Waller was about to win the Golden Rose with outstanding Redoute’s Choice colt The Autumn Sun and five years on he saddled one of his sons to break his maiden in style at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

Blueblood colt Matusalem was winless in three starts last season, but is a stronger and more focused proposition this time around and went out favourite for the 1500m maiden after a good run when resuming from a spell to finish third at Randwick earlier this month.

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He appreciated the step up in distance and enjoyed a perfect run in transit for Jason Collett before swithhing into the clear to surge  home and win by a length and a half.

Matusalem was a $500,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Arrowfield draft for Chris Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock and is a three-quarter brother to dual Group I winner Kenedna and ill-fated Group II winning sire Spill the Beans being the eighth winner from eight to race out of Miss Dodwell.

Matusalem was a $500,000 Magic Millions purchase.

From the family of Golden Slipper winning Australian Horse of the Year Bounding Away, Miss Dodwell is a half-sister to Group III winner Yammer and stakes-winner Blab, the dam of Group I ATC Flight Stakes winner Speak Fondly. She is due to foal again to The Autumn Sun this spring.

Matusalem is the fifth winner this season for Arrowfield Stud based The Autumn Sun, who stands at a fee of $77,000 this spring.

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Race Result - Great Northern Cup Mdn Plate 1500m

Hawkesbury Track: Good(3) Time: 1:29.27
1
Matusalem
- 3c The Autumn Sun (AUS) x Miss Dodwell (AUS) (Falbrav (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J R Collett 56.5
2
1.5
Inca Trail
- 3g Menari (AUS) x Walkway (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: A Adkins 56.5
3
2.5
Gunslinger
- 3g Impending (AUS) x Nightingales (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: K S Latham 56.5
4
2.6
She's Got Veuve
- 3f Merchant Navy (AUS) x Kirini (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 55
5
3.7
Counter
- 4g Lope De Vega (IRE) x Riposte (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tyler Schiller 59
6
4.2
Icebreaker
- 3g Pariah (AUS) x Registered Nurse (USA) (Unbridled's Song (USA))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 56.5
7
9.0
Spanner
- 3g Headwater (AUS) x Miss Gosford (AUS) (Sepoy (AUS))
Tnr: Marc Chevalier Rdr: A B Collett 56.5
8
11.8
Time For Gold
- 4g Olympic Glory (IRE) x Roses Of Picardy (AUS) (Canny Lad (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Rachel King 59
9
19.5
Dark Lever
- 6m Lucas Cranach (GER) x Bleverdeen (AUS) (Blevic (AUS))
Tnr: Ms K Outtrim Rdr: H Van Der Hoven 57
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