Electric 3-year-olds: Storm Boy, Autumn Glow and Growing Empire dazzle

Cover image courtesy of Inglis

Storm Boy explosive in San Domenico S.

There would have been a collective sigh of relief from trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and the connections of Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) when the boom colt dominated his rivals in the G3 San Domenico S. at Rosehill on Saturday.

Reunited with Adam Hyeronimus, the imposing son of Justify (USA) was eager from the get-go, bounding out with the field. Hyeronimus pushed Storm Boy to take control of the 1100-metre contest.

Showing sustained speed, Storm Boy fought off his stablemate Mayfair (Fastnet Rock), who bravely held second 2.89l away. The third-placed Tropicus (Too Darn Hot {GB}) went into the blackbook with his first-up run, finishing third after settling at the rear of the field.

The disappointment of the race was the explosive Listed The Rosebud S. winner Gatsby's (Snitzel), who failed to show his previous form when finishing fourth on Saturday.

Co-trainer Adrian Bott told Sky Racing, “He’s such a brilliant colt; there is so much talent there. I’m glad he’s come back and been able to race in that manner and showcase his talent and the natural speed he has.

“There’s further improvement. I always thought Storm Boy is going to get better over further, but to do that today (Saturday) and show that good sustained speed; he was able to run them into the ground.

“He’s just a quality colt.”

Bott added, “Look, I think the Golden Rose has always been first and foremost an important target for him because I think it gives us the options as in the back of our minds we have always considered the Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate.

“That’s what we felt going into the campaign, but after the brilliance he’s shown, he could be a The Everest horse dropping back off the Golden Rose. Everything is on the table; no decisions have been made.

“The Golden Rose is his immediate target, and I’d love to get that Group 1 for him because he’s a Group 1 colt. He will head to the G2 Run To The Rose, but it was important to come here (Rosehill) today (Saturday) and get the racing into him.

“It’s amazing to be able to talk about a horse that has the potential of being a Cox Plate horse or a horse for The Everest.”

Storm Boy is the first foal from the well-related Fastnet Rock mare Pelican (NZ), a daughter of the Champion mare Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}). The G3 San Domenico S. is the fifth victory for the son of Justify (USA), who won the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, the G2 Skyline S., and the G3 BJ McLachlan S. as a juvenile.

Storm Boy was sent out as the favourite in the G1 Golden Slipper but finished third behind Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) and then was fourth to Manaal (Tassort) in the G1 Sires’ Produce S.

The colt was a $460,000 purchase by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

During his 2-year-old preparation, Coolmore acquired the controlling share in Storm Boy for an undisclosed sum.

Future Glows brightly for Autumn

The sky is truly the limit for Chris Waller’s filly Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) after stepping up from benchmark company to success in the G3 Up And Coming S. at Rosehill on Saturday, becoming the first filly to claim the feature.

With Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle, Autumn Glow peeled out at the top of the straight in the 1300-metre contest and gamely ran down Wanaruah (Snitzel), putting a 2.03l margin on the colt.

Godolphin’s Snack Bar (Frosted {USA}) ran into third, while Iron Hawk (Written Tycoon) held fourth.

Champion trainer Waller, speaking to 7horseracing, said, “She’s a very nice filly; I’m not going to get too far ahead of myself, but as you can tell, my emotions are still high from talking to the jockey.

“Kerrin (McEvoy) gave us a very glowing report on her. Considering it’s Autumn Glow’s first preparation, I want to look after her the best we can. I don’t think we’ll see the best of her until she’s three and a half, four, maybe five.

“What I’m getting at is trying to protect her as a young 3-year-old filly, so we’ll try and keep her to her own sex and age to make it as easy as possible. Without talking to the owners, I’d say the G2 Tea Rose S. in a couple of weeks’ time is an option.

“Autumn Glow is entered for the G1 Golden Rose, but being her first campaign, I’d be cautious of that.”

Autumn Glow made her debut on 17 August at Rosehill in a BM72 and is now unbeaten from two starts. She is a daughter of the Champion South African Sprinter Via Africa (SAf) (Var {SAf}), who has found success as a broodmare in Australia as the dam of the G1 Golden Rose victor In The Congo, now a stallion at Newgate Farm and welcoming his first foals this spring.

The filly was a $600,000 pinhook by Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock from the draft of Newhaven Park at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. Silverdale Farm presented Autumn Glow the following year at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where Arrowfield Pastoral, alongside Hermitage Thoroughbreds, paid $1.8 million for her.

Autumn Glow is the fifth stakes winner for The Autumn Sun, who stands at Arrowfield Stud but is sitting out the 2024 breeding season after sustaining an untimely pelvis injury.

Empire set to take Coolmore

Exciting colt Growing Empire (Zoustar) firmly established himself as a contender for the G1 Coolmore Stud S. in November after winning the G3 HDF McNeil S. at Caulfield on Saturday.

Growing Empire was first-up after a 126-day break, having last been seen winning the G3 Breeders’ S. at Morphettville by 4.5l. Ridden by Mark Zahra, the son of Zoustar was dominant in the contest, with Wonder Boy (Cosmic Force) running best of the rest in second.

Another son of Cosmic Force, Stay Focused, finished third, while the last-start Group 3 winner Band Of Brothers (Omaha Beach {USA}) took fourth.

Maher, who had previously won the G3 HDF McNeil S. with Merchant Navy—who later won the G1 Coolmore Stud S.—told Racing.com, “I’ve certainly got him on the same path.”

“He’s a very exciting colt. I didn’t really tie Mark (Zahra) with too many instructions. If he pinged the lids, we were going to go forward, but he ended up in a perfect spot.

“Growing Empire is just a very progressive colt, and he has started the campaign well. He has always had really good ability and he spelled well at Yulong. The team has done a fantastic job with him, but you can see late there’s still a lot more there.

“He needs a bit more experience, and hopefully now we can get him to Flemington, and he can have a look around there.”

Growing Empire was a $700,000 purchase by Yu Long Investments from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He is out of the Snitzel mare Miles Of Krishan, who is also the dam of the Group 3-placed Dancing Alone (I Am Invincible).

Te Akau's Snitzel colt triumphs in season’s first juvenile race

The tangerine and blue silks of the powerhouse operation Te Akau Racing struck the first blow in the juvenile ranks, winning the opening 2-year-old race of the 2024/25 season at Wanganui in New Zealand, courtesy of To Bravery Born (NZ) (Snitzel).

Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, and ridden by Opie Bosson, To Bravery Born was sent out as the second favourite in the 800-metre contest, behind Toretto (NZ) (Ardrossan).

However, at the business end of the race, it was the son of Snitzel who proved dominant, with Toretto finishing second and Ensign Aria (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) coming in third.

“I remember when Dave (Ellis) bought him as a yearling, we looked at each other and couldn’t believe that he only made $200,000, and were quite perplexed at the time as to why, but it was late in the day and there was torrential rain,” Walker told Loveracing.nz

“For a Snitzel colt he was great value, and it was exciting to see him win the way he did on his debut outing.

“He broke in well, has always been a very forward type, and the way he relaxed and went to the line today, really uncontested, suggests he has a nice future.”

On Twitter, Te Akau Racing posted, “Brilliant and chuffed to again win the first 2-year-old race of the season—this year with a talented Snitzel colt bought by David Ellis (CNZM).

“To Bravery Born (Google his dam Milunka; she’s inspirational) and you will understand his name! Great ride again, Opie Bosson—thrilled for the owners and team.”

The colt is the second foal from Milunka (All Too Hard), who is named after the Serbian war heroine Milunka Savić, who fought in the Balkan Wars and in World War I.

Savić is cited as the most decorated female combatant in the history of warfare. Milunka, the horse, won twice and is a half-sister to Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), a victress of the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, and her full brother Distinctive Darci (NZ), who won 11 races, including a Listed contest.

Milunka is also a half-sister to Kuro (Denman), an eight-time winner, including the Listed Starlight S., the Listed Heritage S., the Listed Brian Crowley S., the Listed Mick Dittman Plate, and the Listed Takeover Target S., alongside Southern Lad (Ocean Park {NZ}), who won seven races, including a Listed race.

To Bravery Born was a NZ$200,000 purchase by David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) from the draft of Curraghmore at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Milunka foaled a filly by Tarzino (NZ) last spring and was served by Satono Aladdin (Jpn).

Read About It increases black-type tally at Wanganui Jockey Club

Read About It (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) doubled his black-type wins in just three starts with a 1.5l win in the Listed Wanganui Guineas on Saturday. The 3-year-old son of Highview Stud resident stallion Wrote (Ire) sat comfortably to the rear of the field for most of the 1200-metre contest, starting to make ground around the outside on the home turn before surging clear in the last furlong under a calculated ride from Craig Grylls.

Read About It headed into the race as the clear favourite off the back of his victory in the Listed Levin RC Ryder S. at Otaki in July. A quiet trial in between performances kept the gelding ticking over perfectly for Saturday’s race, which is the first step in trainer Robbie Patterson’s plan to prepare him for the G1 New Zealand Derby.

“He’s got the looks, he’s got the personality and he’s got the ability, so he’s the complete package,” said Patterson when speaking to the New Zealand Herald three days before the Guineas. “We’ll just concentrate on getting him to the Derby in the right frame of mind.”

Read About It is the best performed of two named foals from unraced Iffraaj (GB) mare Diggilou (NZ), and was a savvy buy at $5000 from the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale. His half-brother by Eminent (Ire), Silver Destiny (NZ), was a $24,000 acquisition ast the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, and has since been imported to Hong Kong.

Diggilou is out of winning Danehill (USA) mare, Dagmar, making her a half-sister to Perfect Rhyme (Poet’s Voice {GB}) who ran second in the G3 Adrian Knox S. behind Waking Moment (Authorized {Ire}) before also finishing second in the G1 Australian Oaks behind three-time Group 1 winner Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).

A Group 1-winning son of High Chaparral (Ire), Wrote has already sired an elite-level winner in the 2024 G1 New Zealand Oaks victress Pulchritudinous (NZ), who was purchased privately from her Kiwi connections and now races in the Yulong silks this year.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, her most recent outing was a narrow fifth place finish in the Australasian Oaks behind The Autumn Sun’s trifecta. Wrote’s other top offspring included G2 Tristarc S. winner Wrote To Arataki (NZ) and G3 Hawkes Bay Gold Trail S. victress Best Seller (NZ), who also finished second to Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in the G1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas.

Zousain Filly Gives Te Akau a Double

The good times continued for Te Akau Racing on Saturday. After the success of To Bravery Born (NZ) (Snitzel) at Wanganui, the operation was later successful at Riccarton in the Vale Kevin Hickman 3YO over 1000 metres with The Victress (Zousain).

Ridden by Wiremu Pinn, the 3-year-old filly got the better of her favoured stablemate About Last Night (Capitalist), with Enterprise (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) finishing third ahead of Lavender Haze (Dubious).

The daughter of Zousain was presented by Bhima Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, where she was purchased by Manson Place Bloodstock for $130,000.

Later offered by Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, The Victress was bought by David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ).

The filly is the sixth foal from the Exceed And Excel mare Liesele, who won nine races, including the Listed Alinghi S. The well-related mare is a half-sister to Paramalove (Snitzel), who in turn produced Velocious (Written Tycoon), a victress of the G1 Sistema S. and the R. Listed Karaka 2YO Million last season.

Widden Stud’s Zousain stands for the 2024 season at $27,500 (inc GST), and has already tasted stakes success this season courtesy of his talented daughter Drifting, who won the G3 Quezette S.

Odinson thunders home a winner at Doomben

Odinson (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) displayed a return to form to take out the Quayclean QTIS 3YO Plate at Doomben on Saturday.

Hugging the rail around the home turn, jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor patiently waited for a gap to emerge to the inside of Kahlisee (Dracarys), before letting the son of Night Of Thunder (Ire) extend past the rest of the field to score by 2.64l.

Trainer Ciaron Maher scratched the gelding from the G3 San Domenico S. in Sydney and has been handsomely rewarded for his decision. Odinson has previously borne the navy and yellow silks of leviathan owner Aziz “Ozzie” Kheir to victory in the R. Listed Inglis Nursery, following up a debut third in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate.

A graduate of the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Odinson was offered by Widden Stud and bought by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $320,000. He is the only named foal of Good Vibes (GB) (Due Diligence {USA}), a twice blacktype winner who was victorious in the G3 Newmarket Cornwallis S. and the Listed York Marygate S. in her juvenile season.

Good Vibes was a 390,000gns (AU$794,500) purchase at the 2019 Tattersalls December Mare Sale, and was imported after being covered by Night Of Thunder on Southern Hemisphere time. She has since produced two colts by Zoustar for owners Qatar Bloodstock and is expecting a foal by Coolmore first crop stallion St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) off of an October cover.

Odinson’s sire Night Of Thunder stood for one season in Australia at Darley Kelvinside in 2016, leaving behind a modest crop of less than sixty foals, which has since yielded five stakes winners.

These are headed by Cherry Tortoni, winner of the G2 Moonee Valley Vase as well as three Listed contests, and Kiwi bred Kukeracha (NZ), who won the G1 Queensland Derby. Since his return to Kildangan Stud in Ireland, Night Of Thunder has covered a handful of mares on Southern Hemisphere time who have returned to Australian shores. Of his 2021 foals born in Australia, all three runners are winners, with Odinson the most prominent.