$1.4million Favourite Rolled, But Winner Might be Special

Tara Madgwick - Monday June 9

The two year-old colts maiden at Canterbury on Monday was a must watch race with $1.4million Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Central Coast expected to be winning on debut, but the unpredictable nature of racing was seen to full effect when his stablemate Autumn Boy went off script to take the victory at 50-1.

Autumn Boy returned a surprise winner on debut - image Bradley Photography

Autumn Boy returned a surprise winner on debut - image Bradley Photography

The second foal of Champion 3YO Filly Sunlight, Central Coast had been scratched twice in the past week as his trainer Chris Waller waited patiently for the just right race in which to set the blueblood colt loose.

The 1250m maiden attracted a field of eight well bred colts with Central Coast ridden by James McDonald heavily backed to win and it looked like he would do just that with a furlong to run.

Advertisement

The dashing near black colt accelerated brilliantly and dropped his rivals quickly, but when Jason Collett popped the question to Autumn Boy, he produced something special to reel in the favourite and win by a neck to the great surprise of all.

Central Coast ran a super race, he just found one better and both colts have the promise of a lot more to come.

Autumn Boy is by The Autumn Sun, who was trained by Chris Waller to be Champion 3YO Colt of his generation racking up five Group I wins.

“He's always been a dream to deal with in terms of his work at home. He's very passive. He sort of flies under the radar a bit, and he's probably never had a smack on the bum before, so it's probably a good reason for him to really accelerate and hit the line like he did,” said stable representative Charlie Duckworth.

“He's obviously prepared to get over further, so it’s really exciting and delighted for the Ritchie’s.

“He is out of Savabeel mare, so you'd think that 1250 is probably the bottom end of his distance range.

“That's exactly pretty much what I said to Jason pre-race. You'll be hitting the line hard, but whether 1250 is going to be too short for him today, which is what I thought would be the case, but I’m delighted to be wrong.”

Autumn Boy was a $200,000 Magic Millions purchase.

Autumn Boy was a $200,000 Magic Millions purchase.

A $200,000 Magic Millions purchase for Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock from the Amarina Farm draft, Autumn Boy runs for Glenn Ritchie, who has been a big investor in recent years notably purchasing the $2.4million Savabeel filly from Symphonic that topped Karaka Book 1 this year.

Autumn Boy is the second winner from unraced Savabeel mare Rosegarden (NZ), a daughter of Group III winner O’Reilly Rose from the family of Group I winning sprinter Shamexpress and also Caulfield Cup winner Affinity.

Pedigree would suggest Autumn Boy has untapped potential as his classic season unfolds.

Advertisment

Race Result - DrinkWise Mdn Plate 1250m

Canterbury Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:15.74
1
Autumn Boy
- 2c The Autumn Sun (AUS) x Rosegarden (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J R Collett 56
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $200,000
Seller: Amarina Farm, Denman, NSW (As Agent)
Buyer: Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock
2
0.3
Central Coast
- 2c Wootton Bassett (GB) x Sunlight (AUS) (Zoustar (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale $1,400,000
Seller: Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains
Buyer: Paul Moroney Bloodstock / C Bruggeman
3
1.9
Cabriole
- 2c Lonhro (AUS) x Flit (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: A Hyeronimus 56
4
3.2
Champagne Hero
- 2c Maurice (JPN) x Soft Sand (AUS) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Regan Bayliss 56
5
3.3
Perfect Apple
- 2g Per Incanto (USA) x She's Apples (IRE) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton Rdr: Zac Lloyd 56
6
3.3
Cosmonaut
- 2g Cosmic Force (AUS) x Vodianova (AUS) (Ready's Image (USA))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56
7
7.5
Qatar
- 2c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Harlow Gold (NZ) (Tavistock (NZ))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 56
8
7.7
Delicious Derek
- 2c The Autumn Sun (AUS) x Tight Ropes (AUS) (Brazen Beau (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tim Clark 56
More Reading...
Flemington Victory for Tarzino Mare
Quirky but talented mare Miss Tarzy has come from last win the Leilani Series Final (1400m) under a patient Jett Stanley ride.
Kiwi Bred Good Banter Finds Winning Form
Four-year-old mare Good Banter was back in the winner’s circle when narrowly prevailing in the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!
Sweet Redemption for Stable Favourite Jimmy the Bear
Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
No Fluke – How Good is Autumn Boy?
When Autumn Boy made a winning debut at 50-1 at Canterbury last month beating his high profile stablemate Central Coast, some may have wondered if there was an element of fluke about the win… there wasn’t.
Marble Nine Brings Up Second SW For Aquis Sire Kobayashi
The withdrawal of the top weight in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed VRC Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington saw the field down to just six, with Marble Nine continuing his outstanding recent form to secure his first black type victory.
Invincible 3YO Wins G3 Winx Guineas
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday featured a big field of 16 up and comers and following the late scratching of favourite Mister Bianco, Angela Jones took luck out of the equation on I Am Invincible gelding The Three Hundred.
Buccleuch - First Stakes-Winner for Peltzer
The $175,000 Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday was won back in 2020 by Cherry Tortoni, who went to on to become a multiple Group winner of nearly $1million and the same colours were carried by this year’s winner Buccleuch.
Pride’s Outsider Estadio Mestalla Wins Winter Stakes
The lone stakes race on Rosehill’s ten-race card on Saturday saw Joe Pride’s race outsider Estadio Mestalla (Galileo Gold) take out the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Stakes (1400m) in a boilover.
Divine Prophet’s Fortunate Kiss Captures Elusive Black Type Win
With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never as 6yo Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss charged along the inside to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday – her first black type victory.