Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Autumn Glow ready to shine in the Seven Stakes
It may look like a potential procession, but funny things can happen in racing. Still, the superstar mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) is a well-deserved short odds-on shot to claim the $1 million G2 Seven Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
One concerning thought for her select but quality group of rivals - Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) and Idle Flyer (Dundeel {NZ}), is that the mare appears to have improved from her cruisy first-up win in the G1 Winx Stakes, where she defeated the up-and-coming new star on the scene, Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).
“She was fairly ready first-up, not a lot has changed, her coat is coming through and she’s maintained her weight,’’ Trainer Chris Waller told RacingNSW.
“James (McDonald) is the best judge of (how much she’s come on) and I’m getting the impression from James there’s been good improvement.
“James (McDonald) is the best judge of (how much she’s {Autumn Glow} come on) and I’m getting the impression from James there’s been good improvement.” - Chris Waller
“He said she’s come on, I don’t know how much, but he said she’s come on.”
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Last Saturday at Rosehill, Autumn Glow galloped alongside Aeliana, producing the type of work that had Waller very pleased and full of admiration for the mare.
“I got a feeling I don’t get very often just watching her work,’’ he said.
“It’s an excited, I need to speak to someone, feeling so I went over to the strappers.
“It was pretty impressive work, you saw her lower at the 300-metre and just sustain a solid gallop with James locked in.
“Her breathing was good, action perfect, it was pretty stimulating work.”
For many of these horses, their next start will be in the G1 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick on Everest Day, and the potential biggest threat to Autumn Glow in both the G2 Seven Stakes on Saturday and that later Group 1 could be Ceolwulf.
He has won the King Charles III Stakes for the last two seasons and comes into Saturday after an eye-catching second behind Lindermann (Lonhro) in the G2 Chelmsford Stakes last time out.
Kingswood set to roar in the Underwood
The good-looking big grey Kingswood (GB) (Roaring Lion {USA}) started his career in Ireland, where he was a winner and Group-placed. He has since been a dual Listed and Group 3 winner in Australia and saluted at Group 1 level in the G1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie in New Zealand.
Kingswood (GB) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Now the 7-year-old stallion gets his opportunity to chase an elite-level victory in Australia when he lines up in the G1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield over 1800 metres on Saturday.
Kingswood won impressively first-up in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap at the same track, over 1000 metres less than Saturday’s race, and trainer Gavin Bedggood believes he has trained on well, improved and he is ready to find out where he sits against the best.
“He's as good as I could have him and he's improved from his first-up run and I suppose Saturday will be a good test to see where he sits against that calibre of horse,’’ Bedggood told racingandsports.
“He's (Kingswood) as good as I could have him and he's improved from his first-up run.’’ - Gavin Bedggood
Bedggood said Kingswood was fit enough to run well in the Heatherlie Stakes and believes he has come on from that victory.
“He was pretty screwed down first-up but with improvement to come.
“He definitely hasn't regressed. His coat has improved and his last two Monday mornings have been great, so I wouldn't swap my horse for any other in the race.’’
It’s a good quality, small edition of the race, and the hardest to beat clearly looks to be Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice {Jpn}), who is in great form. Lindermann (Lonhro) could be tricky to run down as the likely pace influence, while Birdman (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) caught the eye resuming in the G1 Memsie Stakes and has had a tick-over jump-out at Flemington since.
Waller’s three-tone attack in the Sir Rupert Clarke
Champion trainer Chris Waller attacks the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield on Saturday with Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}), Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) and Sun God (GB) (Fastnet Rock).
The race is always a tricky one to analyse as a Handicap at the elite level, and for the super-talented but enigmatic Angel Capital, he is no doubt going to need some luck but Waller can't fault him.
Angel Capital | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Angel Capital gets his chance to redeem himself from last year where he was narrowly beaten. He's drawn to get a lovely run, he is third-up from a spell, loves Caulfield, loves 1400 (metres), he is ready to go,” Waller told the CWR Weekly Preview.
“Sun God has turned into a little beauty, he loves these shorter distances, he loves being fresh-up and he’s got a nice light weight, with a good jockey in Jye McNeil and a good draw.
“She (Shenandoah) is a Group 1 horse, she deserves to be running in Group 1 races, she can dodge the stable mate Autumn Glow, I would say she will be going to Melbourne,” Waller said about Shenandoah, who was accepted in the G2 Seven Stakes but will head to Melbourne.
It’s a full field of 18 runners, including two emergencies, and the Waller trio won’t have it their own way. Some of the other top chances include Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), who will need Blake Shinn to weave some magic from a wide draw; Regal Award (Ole Kirk), a very talented galloper; and Yellow Jersey (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who disappointed last time but could be the upsetter in a very open field.
Global Goal takes on the Tea Rose on the way to Group 1 goals
One of the best bred fillies running around Australasia on Saturday is the John Sargent-trained Global Goal (Pinatubo {Ire}), who scored valuable black-type last time out in the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes.
She now chases an important Group win in Saturday’s G2 Tea Rose Stakes, which represents another step towards Group 1 glory in the Flight Stakes, which has long been the aim.
Sargent, however, knows how hard the task is with a quality field of 3-year-old fillies lining up and an awkward draw for jockey Dylan Gibbons to work with.
“She is showing plenty of promise but will need luck in the running to show her best on Saturday because they look as though they are all smart fillies there and it's who gets the best run of the race,” Sargent told racenet.com
“(Global Goal) will need luck in the running to show her best on Saturday because they look as though they are all smart fillies there and it's who gets the best run of the race.” - John Sargent
“With her breeding being out of Tides, a full sister to Shoals, and she showed us plenty early, I just thought the Flight Stakes would be a good race for her to be aimed at.
“If we can pick this up on the way through, that would be great.”
John Sargent | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
While many of her opposition had a crack at the G2 Furious Stakes, over the same 1200 metres as the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes, Sargent elected to save his filly and step straight up to 1400 metres.
“She is not a big robust filly so I didn't think she needed another run before this,” Sargent said.
“I think the race will suit her on Saturday, if she can slot into the race midfield somewhere or behind the first wave, it should be just nice from the draw.
“I tried side winkers on her in the trial, she goes through a flat patch in the middle of the race and that's just immaturity.
Global Goal as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“When you are in Group 2s and Group 1s, you can't afford to be having that flat patch and it seemed to work to get her more focused without getting too keen.
“All systems are go.”
The hardest for Global Goal to beat potentially looks to be Bangkok Hottie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Chilly Girl (Snitzel), who ran the quinella in the G2 Furious Stakes last time out.
The best roughie could be the fellow Pinatubo (Ire) filly in Sequinned, the promising half-sister to Bivouac who has won her last two starts, admittedly in lower grade.
Blind Raise about to raise his hand in the ‘Prelude’
The G1 Caulfield Guineas is always a race that is targeted a long way out by connections, and that has very much been the case for the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High) after showing such promise as a 2-year-old last season.
Those aims came even closer to reality when the Ace High gelding resumed in impressive style, claiming the Listed McKenzie Stakes by just under two lengths a couple of weeks ago at Sandown when defeating race rival again Wolf Gap (Palace Pier {GB}).
It was an impressive effort, and co-trainer Busuttin believes there is more to come.
“He came through it well as he was a bit above himself at Sandown,” Busuttin told Racingandsports.
“He'd had just the one run trial leading into it and in the parade ring, it was noticeable he was sweating up and was up and about which is unlike him.
“We were happy with his trial and thought he could do it, but thinking they can do it and actually doing it is two different things.
“With that run under the belt and then taking him to Caulfield on Tuesday, he should be a bit calmer.
“It will be another challenge on Saturday, and we'll see how he goes this time, but I would imagine he will be very competitive.”
“With that run under the belt and then taking him (Blind Raise) to Caulfield on Tuesday, he should be a bit calmer... I would imagine he will be very competitive.” - Trent Busuttin
Busuttin also believes Blind Raise has plenty of improvement in him ahead of the Guineas, with his coat still not quite turned.
“His coat is nowhere near where we would like it to be,” Busuttin said.
“We have just under a month to the Caulfield Guineas to get that right.”
Trent Busuttin | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
It's a very competitive field of nine colts and geldings. The hardest for Blind Raise to beat could be Wolf Gap, who was finishing very quickly behind him last time.
The unbeaten American Eagle (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has to be respected, while the best knock-out chance could be the Maurice (Jpn) colt Vallice. He looks like the further the better for him and, past this race, could turn into a G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Victorian Derby chance.
