Saturday summary: Autumn Glow shines again as unbeaten record extends to Epsom

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

‘She was born a winner!’: Autumn Glow stays unbeaten in Epsom triumph

She’s just too good for them; 4-year-old mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) extended her unbeaten record to seven on Saturday with a slashing victory in the G1 Epsom Handicap at Royal Randwick. Trainer Chris Waller has wanted to tick off that Group 1 win for quite some time, and the multiple Group-winning mare did it in style when jumping as the short-priced favourite.

Eventual runner-up Fully Lit (Hellbent) directed the flow of traffic into the home straight with a sizable lead, but Autumn Glow was too quick under Kerrin McEvoy, passing him with 150 metres left to run. Becoming the first horse to win the Epsom with an unbeaten record, she widened the distance to one and a half lengths by the line, with Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) chasing strongly to finish third.

“Autumn Glow is just like any other horse until the pressure goes on and then she’s different, Waller said after the race. “She just keeps going. We did it the hard way today from that (outside) draw. She had a bit of weight for a young mare and if we went back, it’s pretty hard to make up ground so we asked her to do it in the first half of the race, yet she has still responded in the second half.

“It’s all about Group 1 racing in my eyes and this wins means a lot because she’s a very talented horse.”

McEvoy was concerned for a moment when the mare was slow into stride, but losing a shoe early in the run may be the reason - and it didn’t stop her from winning.

“Autumn Glow is a champion in the making, I think,” he said. “I don’t like calling them champions too early but she has gone to a new level today.”

Part-owner Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara made the comparison to another great filly to wear the stud’s well-known yellow and black checkerboard silks.

“I had a similar feeling with Miss Finland 20 years ago,” he said after the race. “She was very special, she was a champion 2-year-old and champion 3-year-old. I’m not going to tell you this filly is better or worse but there is not much between them.

“I’m just thrilled Autumn Glow did what she did today. The exciting part is she has only had seven starts, so who knows how good she is!”

Sales info: A $600,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale purchase from Newhaven Park for Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock, Autumn Glow was bought for $1.8 million by Arrowfield Stud and Hermitage at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Autumn Glow is a three-quarter-sister to G1 Golden Rose Stakes winner In The Congo, who stands at Newgate Farm, out of triple Group 1 winner Via Africa (SAf) (Var {USA}). Via Africa has not had a live foal since Autumn Glow, and is empty going into the 2025 season. Autumn Glow is a fourth Group 1 winner for her Arrowfield Stud resident sire The Autumn Sun.

Sir Delius makes Melbourne Cup statement in Turnball

Sir Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has firmed himself into the favourite spot for the G1 Melbourne Cup after a giant-killing performance at Flemington, downing Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) and Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) in the G1 Turnbull Stakes on Saturday. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trainee settled midfield in the 2000-metre contest before attacking the leaders and emerging victorious by a length and a half at the line.

“The waters opened, and he went boom,” Waterhouse said afterwards. “That was the exciting part, the boom. He just gobbled them up, didn’t he? He is an alpha male.”

The 5-year-old entire - who is owned by Go Bloodstock Australia and partners - goes back to back at Group 1 level, having won the G1 Underwood Stakes last start. He holds nominations for both the Cup and the G1 Cox Plate, a race Waterhouse is yet to win.

“He’s put on condition," she said of the entire's improvement between runs. "He’s relaxed more and whatever he runs in, they’re going to have to beat him. He’s a most exciting horse.”

Sales info: Sir Delius was bought for 1.3 million gns ($2.78 million) by Go Bloodstock, De Burgh Equine, Waterhouse and Bott Racing, and McKeever Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in 2024.

Pedigree info: Sir Delius is one of three stakeswinners for Whatami (GB) (Daylami {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 3 winner Whazzis (GB) (Desert Prince {Ire}) as well as the dams of Group 2 winners James Garfield (Ire) (Exceed And Excel) and Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko {USA}), as well as USA Champion Turf Female Uni (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}). Whatami’s youngest recorded foal is unraced 2-year-old Sapphire Secret (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

Royal Supremacy a new potential Cup hero with Metropolitan win

Five-year-old import gelding Royal Supremacy (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) has earned himself a shot at Flemington in November with a three-quarter-length victory over Soul Of Spain (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) in the G1 The Metropolitan at Randwick on Saturday. Having run second to the fellow import last start in the G3 Newcastle Cup, the gelding turned the tables on their rematch to come away with the win for trainer Ciaron Maher.

“Great steer by Robbie (Dolan), and I can't thank our team enough, Australian Bloodstock, all the other owners, it’s fantastic,” said Maher.

“He just gets better with each run, he used to be a little bit aggressive in his races, but with each race, he's starting to relax a little bit better. And that's what I said to Robbie; it's just about getting the first half right, and hopefully the second half will take care of itself. I'm just thrilled.

“He'll probably go towards the Melbourne Cup, I'd imagine, he did a mile and a half quite well, so we'll see if he can do two.”

Royal Supremacy is owned by an Australian Bloodstock organised syndicate, and is nominated for both the Melbourne and the G1 Caulfield Cup.

Dolan, winner of last year’s Cup on Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice), was also pleased with the strength of the gelding’s performance; “He (Royal Supremacy) is probably the strongest horse I've ever ridden, my god I was bolting at one stage, I'd say he's a pretty talented horse because he over-raced pretty much most of the race and ran away from them.

“If he learns to relax, he'd be a serious weight-for-age horse.”

Sales info: A 65,000 gns ($139,000) purchase from Ballylinch Stud for JS Bloodstock and Andrew Balding at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Royal Supremacy was a private acquisition for his owners before coming to Australia.

Pedigree info: Royal Supremacy is a half-brother to Listed winner Adelaise (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) out of juvenile winner Adelasia (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who is herself a half-sister to German Group winners Fight Club (Ger) (Lavirco {Ger})) and Flambo (Ger) (Platini {Ger}). She has a yearling filly by Minzaal (Ire), who sells through the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale this year in the draft of Ballylinch Stud.

Briasa on course for Everest after Premiere blitz

Max Whitby, Col Madden, Steve McCann, and Neil Werret will be feeling pretty confident heading into the G1 The Everest in two weeks’ time, thanks to the lightning performance of their slot selection Briasa (Smart Missile) in the G3 Premiere Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. The 5-year-old settled midfield and waited until straightening to pounce on early leader Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}), sweeping home to win by three quarters of a length over the fast-finishing Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).

The Hawkes Racing team, who train the gelding for his owner-breeders, believe he’s ready to give the $20 million race a shake-up, and aren’t afraid of the looming threat of Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}).

“It’s not a one-horse race, it never has been,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said after the Premiere. “We’ve been lucky enough to have another great horse we’ve travelled, and I know how hard it can be.

“So for Ka Ying Rising, everything needs to go right. He’s in our backyard now, and it’s great for the sport. It’s a legendary race that’s shaping into something special but there are horses in there that can win this and this is one of them.”

Hawkes praised the efforts of jockey Tyler Schiller; “He (Schiller) got him (Briasa) in a beautiful rhythm, he just flowed and he’s actually a joy to watch. It’s just, as I said, it’s exciting, it’s exhilarating, the lengthening of stride he can be up, back in and out, and that’s what a barrier does.”

Sales info: Briasa was retained to race by Mr I Johnson and Dr A R Johnson.

Pedigree info: Briasa is the best of four foals to race out of Listed Mona Lisa Stakes winner Mary’s Grace (Twining {USA}), who died in 2024, leaving an unnamed 3-year-old colt by Sensei to follow This is also the family of Lofty Strike and North England (Farnan).

War Machine returns full force in Gilgai

He was a star in the Queensland winter carnival, and G1 Stradbroke Handicap winner War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel {Ire}) showed he’s come back just as good with a runaway success in the G2 Gilgai Stakes for the Lindsay Park team at Flemington. The 5-year-old gelding made mincemeat of his rivals to post a two-length victory over Bridal Waltz (Snitzel) in the contest on his spring racing resumption.

Co-trainer Will Hayes shared that there had been some interest in the gelding already for a punt at the Everest, and it was something that the ownership group - of Lindsay Park Bloodstock, R & C Legh Racing and partners - would certainly consider.

“There’s a lot of interest around, so it is something we’d consider with the ownership group,” he said after the Gilgai. Three slots remain for the spring feature, with Coolmore, Mulberry Racing, and Godolphin yet to lock in their choices.

“It is exciting and there is a good one in there, but we are happy to take it on if we get the opportunity. Ka Ying Rising is an amazing horse, and we have a good one too. It is a good problem to have.”

Sales info: Bred by the Wallace family’s MDJ Bloodstock, War Machine passed in when offered at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale by Ardsley Stud Limited, and also failed to make his reserve at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.

Pedigree info: War Machine is one of five winners from five to the track for Caserta (Hussonet {USA}), a half-sister to Group 3-winning gelding Fire In The Night (Danewin) and the dam of multiple Group winner Hooked (Casino Prince). Caserta has a yearling filly by In The Congo, and was served by Per Incanto (USA) last spring.

Roses for Miraval at Flemington

She always looked to be the winner, and Miraval Rose (Grunt {NZ}) finally got her Group win in the G2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Trained by Grahame Begg, the 5-year-old mare, previously the winner of two Listed races, led from the jump and held off an advancing Tuileries (So You Think {NZ}) to score by a length and a quarter in the 1400-metre event.

“She loves that sort of ground,” stable spokesman Rohan Hughes said after the win. “Grahame gave her a decent break. It is the first time she has had a decent break, and she’s come back great. Her trials and three runs in, she’s flying.”

The Good 4 at Flemington was much more to Miraval Rose’s liking than when she has previously ventured out of state, hitting Heavy tracks in Sydney and Soft up in Queensland.

“We went to Queensland with her after her first preparation and we were quite bullish with her, but we kept running into wet tracks. It just stymies their preparation, and they lose rhythm.”

Sales info: Yulong sold Miraval Rose for $250,000 to Rohan Hughes and Graeme Begg Racing at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Miraval Rose is a half-sister to multiple Group winner Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt), as well as to the dam of dual Listed winner Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt). She is also closely related to Finance Tycoon. Her dam Gypsy Tucker (Zabeel {NZ}) has a 2-year-old colt by Lucky Vega (Ire) and is due to foal in October to Alabama Express.