The Autumn Sun proved himself the colt of his generation with a barnstorming last-to-first victory in today's Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.
The stallion-making race was filled with leading 3YO colts – and Group 1-winning Melbourne Premier filly Seabrook - but The Autumn Sun (Redoute's Choice x Azmiyna) displayed his class to record his second Group 1 success at just his fifth career start.
It was the second consecutive win by an Inglis graduate in the Golden Rose following Trapeze Artist's victory 12 months ago.
The Autumn Sun is a $700,000 Australian Easter Yearling Sale success story for Guy Mulcaster, Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Arrowfield Stud.
"Hermitage asked [trainer] Chris [Waller] to buy them a horse and I do Chris's horse selections,'' Mulcaster said.
"We narrowed it down to one and it was this horse. He had all the attributes you look for in a superstar colt.''
The Autumn Sun's Snitzel half sister sold to Waller and Mulcaster for $1.3m at this year's Easter Sale, two weeks before The Autumn Sun debuted.
For Arrowfield Stud's Messara, today's Golden Rose success was another dream result.
Arrowfield not only offered the colt of his generation The Autumn Sun at the 2017 Easter Sale, but Golden Slipper winner and filly of her generation Estijaab was in the same draft.
"He was a great colt at the time and she was the queen of the sale, which we knew at the time as well, so it's very rewarding to see them go on and do these things,'' Messara said.
"This bloke, he did it as a two-year-old and now he's done it as a three-year-old.
"For Redoute's, he's 22, it's what you live for.''
Ollie Koolman of Hermitage Thoroughbreds said the goal at last year's Easter Sale was to buy a horse "that was going to get over a bit of ground''.
"We didn't have a budget, it was just to get the right animal,'' Koolman said.
"It's not often it comes off but with a combined effort from all involved – Guy, Chris, my staff at home – it's actually paid off.
"It doesn't happen very often but by geez when it does, it's worth waiting for.''
Meanwhile a pair of Easter fillies stole the show early at Rosehill when Noire (Group 2 Shannon Stakes) and Miss Admiration (Group 3 JRA Trophy) secured valuable first Stakes victories.
Miss Admiration (Sebring x Admiring) was twice Group 1-placed heading into today's affair, having finished third in both the ATC Oaks and South Australian Oaks during the autumn.
Miss Admiration was a $210,000 buy for Yu Long Investments at the 2016 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Glastonbury Farms.
And the Star Thoroughbreds-owned mare Noire is now filled with Spring options – she could back up in next weekend's Epsom Handicap or be saved for the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on October 13 – following her win.
She will then likely contest the Myer Classic at Flemington on Derby Day, a Group 1 for fillies and mares.
Noire (Foxwedge x Valadon) was a $135,000 Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Denise Martin's Star Thoroughbreds, from the Highgrove Stud draft.
THE AUTUMN SUN (Redoute's Choice x Azmiyna)
Group 1 win:The Golden Rose
Sale:2017 Australian Easter Yearling Sale
Price:$700,000
Vendor:Arrowfield Stud
Buyer:Hermitage Thoroughbreds/Chris Waller
Breeder:Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd
Trainer:Chris Waller
Owners:Hermitage (Mgr: OA Koolman)
