Currently spoilt with an abundance of outstanding race track performers, Chris Waller’s Autumn Glow was simply sublime (once again), remaining unbeaten when resuming in the $300,000 G2 ATC Apollo Stakes (1400m), leading home a stable trained trifecta.
Securing her elusive G1 victory two starts back before ending her campaign with a win in the $10m Golde Eagle, the 4yo The Autumn Sun mare had two trials leading into Saturday’s race where as expected she started as one of the short-priced favourites of the day.
Jumping swiftly away from barrier nine in the ten horse field, jockey James McDonald had the mare settled in fourth position on the outside of her G1 ATC Derby-winning stablemate Aeliana.
With the Waterhouse/Bott trained The Instructor going forward to lead with Lindemann in second, there was little change in the running order until the home turn was reached and the runs started to come.
When McDonald said go, the mare responded, hitting the lead with about 150m to run before pulling away under hands and heels riding to remain unbeaten and recorded her ninth career win.
Aeliana got going late, charging into second as she did last campaign in the G1 Winx Stakes. Holding on for third was Lindermann with The Instructor doing a good job for fourth.
McDonald has ridden the mare in five of her wins, and rates her amongst the best he has ever ridden
"It's very special,” said McDonald. “Just the way and the ease with which she's doing it.”
"You've got to remember, there were a lot of stayers in the race. But I'm riding a very good horse in Hong Kong (Romantic Warrior) and she's on a trajectory where she is improving all the time, she is lightly raced, and let's just say, the world is her oyster."
“The first run of the prep is the most important. It tells you where they are,” Waller said.
“You can have as many track gallops, trials and exhibition gallops but until they're under race pressure, you don't really know.
“It tells me she's in a pretty good position.”
With the Chipping Norton next, followed by the George Ryder Stakes, connections will need to decide if she stays at the mile or is stretched out in trip and heads to the 2000m of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Giving the stable a race to race stakes double after the victory of Joliestar in the G2 Expressway Stakes, Autumn Glow took her prizemoney haul to $6,997,000 from her nine starts.
Topping the Inglis Easter sale of her year when sold for $1,800,000 to Arrowfield Pastoral and Hermitage Thoroughbreds from the Silverdale Farm, the Newhaven Park bred Autumn Glow was originally knocked down for $600,000 to Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
One of two individual G1 winners from three to the races out of South African Champion Sprinter, and multiple G1 winner Via Africa (Var), Autumn Glow is a three-quarter-sister to Newgate Farm’s G1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes winner In The Congo (Snitzel), whose first crop yearlings have sold up to $625,000 so far this year
Unfortunately, Via Africa’s breeding career has not gone to plan since foaling the unbeaten mare, having not produced a foal in the subsequent four season, although the mare was covered by Zoustar in the spring.
Autumn Glow is one of five individual G1 winners for her Arrowfield Stud based The Autumn Sun, who will be represented by ten lots at the Inglis Easter yearling sale including Lot 209, the Arrowfield Stud-consigned filly who is bred on a very similar cross, being out of a grand-daughter of Var, while Autumn Glow is out of a daughter of Var.
