Dazzling Comeback for $1.8Million Filly

Tara Madgwick - Saturday March 22

The $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper in 2023, unbeaten filly Autumn Glow returned from an injury enforced spell to score a dazzling first up win in the $200,000 Listed ATC Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Autumn Glow is back with a bang in the Listed Darby Munro - image Bradley Photography

Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, Autumn Glow has had three barrier trials in preparation for her return and was fit and ready to fire after being sidelined with minor surgery last year to remove a bone chip from her knee.

The powerhouse daughter of The Autumn Sun parked behind the leaders and accelerated all the way to the line to run down last start stakes-winning I Am Invincible colt Enriched, who stuck to the task gamely, but went down by a couple of lengths.

Advertisement

Autumn Glow has won four from four earning over $520,000, but you do get the feeling we’ve barely scratched the surface with this rising star.

“I think it's exciting and we don't know about her, so we're still learning about what her best distance is,” said Chris Waller.

“Her dad (The Autumn Sun) was a champion in my eyes and he got out to 2,000 metres, but she's got so much speed; she's out of a champion mare from South Africa who had speed, so we're going to find a happy spot in between and James will obviously tell us a lot today.

“There's a little bit of pressure on us today, so we asked her to perform and she duly did… done a fantastic job.”

Autumn Glow can take a bow - image Bradley Photography

The $1million Group II Arrowfield Stud Stakes (1200m) at Randwick against the colts is a likely next target.

“I think it'll; I'll need a little bit of help to persuade not to run in the Arrowfield because obviously the Arrowfield connection, but logically it does look a nice race in three weeks' time over 1200 metres,” Waller added.

James McDonald was thrilled to get the job done in a race that didn’t exactly go to plan.

“The win was better than it looked because I was stuck in a really odd spot, drawn three, it was three wide for a bit. The inside ones made us work a tad, so I was a little bit out of my comfort zone,” he said.

“If she wasn't Autumn Glow, I probably would have taken her back and ridden like a 10-1 chance, but we took no chances because she is very good, and it's good to get that one out of the way.”

Bred by Newhaven Park Stud, Autumn Glow was a $600,000 pinhook for Silverdale Farm/Shrone Bloodstock at the 2022 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.

Silverdale consigned the daughter of The Autumn Sun to the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where Arrowfield Pastoral / Hermitage Thoroughbreds had the final say at a sale-topping $1.8million.

Autumn Glow has been a star all of her life!  Pictured with the Silverdale Farm team at Inglis Easter.

A three-quarter-sister to Newgate Farm’s Group I ATC Golden Rose Stakes winner In The Congo (Snitzel), Autumn Glow is the third winner from as many to race for the Champion Sprinter in South Africa in 2013-14, Via Africa (SAF).

The daughter of the Forest Wildcat stallion Var won ten races highlighted by the Group 1 Scottsville South African Fillies Sprint (twice), and the Kenilworth Cape Flying Championship.

Via Africa has not had a foal since Autumn Glow, but was covered last spring by I Am Invincible.

Advertisment

Race Result - Hyland Race Colours Darby Munro Stakes LR 1200m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 1:09.24
1
Autumn Glow
- 3f The Autumn Sun (AUS) x Via Africa (SAF) (Var (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57
2
1.9
Enriched
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Miss Atom Bomb (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Freedman Rdr: Tommy Berry 58
I Am Invincible
3
3.7
Gangsta Granny
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x Miss Hawaii (AUS) (Manhattan Rain (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tyler Schiller 54
4
4.9
Sergeant Major
- 3g Proisir (AUS) x Forty Love (NZ) (Ekraar (USA))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Jamie Melham 56
5
5.2
Flying For Fun
- 3f Spieth (NZ) x Vol Prive (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: Bryce Heys Rdr: Zac Lloyd 54
6
6.7
Fearless
- 3c Pierata (AUS) x Matildare (AUS) (Rothesay (AUS))
Tnr: Peter Snowden Rdr: T Marquand 56
7
7.2
Catch The Glory
- 3f Zousain (AUS) x Catch That Cat (AUS) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: J C Coyle Rdr: J R Collett 54
8
7.3
Alabama State
- 3c Alabama Express (AUS) x Bouquet De Flores (USA) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Jack Pilkington Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56
9
8.3
Pisces
- 3g Frosted (USA) x Pleiades (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Shinn 58.5
10
8.7
Yoshinobu
- 3c Written Tycoon (AUS) x Total Attraction (AUS) (Nadeem (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: M Zahra 56
11
9.4
Ikasara
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Ektifaa (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 56
12
11.5
Clear Proof
- 3g Justify (USA) x Crystal Fountain (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: C Schofield 56
13
12.3
Steel Strike
- 3c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Pittsburgh Flyer (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Rachel King 56
14
14.6
Listins Lass
- 3f Capitalist (AUS) x Tinszelda (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: J D Cooper Rdr: A B Collett 54
15
17
Let'sfacethemusic
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Torvill (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: M J Dee 56
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 28
Here is the full list of 33 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Unbeaten Run Continues For Autumn Glow
Resuming off the back of two solid barrier trials efforts, Chris Waller’s Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) stepped up to open company for the first time, with the $1.8m yearling purchase extending her unbeaten run to five with victory in the Group 3 ATC Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Randwick.
One to Watch – Gosford
He’s big and beautiful and it looks like the patient approach might be about to pay off for this talented I Am Invincible four year-old who won on debut at Gosford on Friday.
Sun to Shine
Fillies by The Autumn Sun proved a revelation last season claiming three Group I classic victories and while the horse himself is sidelined from stud duties this spring due to injury a couple of his daughters are making news today.
Damask Rose Looking to Kickstart Te Akau Melbourne Spring
Te Akau Racing are building a strong record in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m), and they will look to continue that at Caulfield on Saturday when Damask Rose takes her place in this year’s edition.
Stars on Show at Caulfield Spring Opener
The 2025 Victorian Spring Racing Carnival officially bursts out of the gates this Saturday with the Stow Storage Caulfield Spring Opener, headlined by the first Group 1 of the season, the $750,000 Stow Storage Memsie Stakes.
Autumn Glow Captures Tea Rose Stakes to Remain Undefeated
After becoming the first filly to win the Group III Up And Coming Stakes, Autumn Glow remained undefeated when delivering a no-fuss win over a quality field of 3-year-old fillies in Saturday’s Group II Darley Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Sir Stanley Goosman’s Impact on the National Yearling Sale
Karaka 2026 will mark the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand, and a prominent buyer during the history of the Sale was Stanley Goosman (later Sir Stanley).  He was a key player at the Sale during the World War II era, and headed the list of winning owners in New Zealand on 10 occasions.
Breeding to Win - 2025 G1 Memsie Stakes
The big guns step out and spring is on in earnest when the Memsie (1400m WFA) rolls around and what a cracking field we have in 2025 for the first G1 of the Southern spring with 11 runners and 10 are G1 winners!
Sires With Winners - Friday August 29
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.