Written by Josh Spasaro
Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Champion Trainer Chris Waller rates Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) a “very, very serious horse,” and her owners have a similar high opinion of the filly going into the Tea Rose S. at Randwick on Saturday.
Arrowfield Stud’s founder and owner John Messara is optimistic his 3-year-old sensation and $2.05 favourite can take a big step towards the G1 Flight S. over a mile on October 5 with a strong showing in the G2 feature over 1400 metres.
“(Saturday) will be an important moment for her because it’s her third start this prep,” he told The Thoroughbred Report.
“That’ll be a test, and if she comes through that well, you’d be confident going into the Flight.”
The Autumn Sun’s exciting daughter became the first filly to win the $250,000 Up And Coming S. (1300 metres) at Group 3 level with an assertive 2l victory at only her second start on August 31.
It was enough for Waller to declare: “She’s a very, very serious horse; she’s got a very bright future”.
A $1.8 million purchase for Arrowfield Pastoral and Hermitage Thoroughbreds from the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Silverdale Farm. The filly is a three-quarter sister to G1 Golden Rose S. winner In The Congo, who now resides at Newgate Farm. The pair are out of the three-time Group 1-winning Var (USA) mare Via Africa (SAf), who was Champion Sprinter in South Africa in 2013/14.
Autumn Glow as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Gaining momentum ahead of Flight Stakes
Winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy said Autumn Glow was still learning her craft, which was exciting, with top hoop James McDonald to ride her on Saturday.
Messara echoed McEvoy’s assessment, saying her best was still ahead of her.
“She’s only new at the caper, she’s only just started. She didn’t run as a 2-year-old,” he said.
“It’s all a bit new for her, we’re learning about her. She’s been very positive so far, and (on Saturday) she’ll meet the toughest field she’s met against fillies at set weights.”
Messara was also delighted with Arrowfield graduate filly Lady Shenandoah’s (Snitzel) 0.25l victory in the G3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400 metres) at Rosehill last Saturday.
Owned by Hermitage and trained by Waller, it was both her maiden win and first stakes success, at only her third start, and she was Champion Sire Snitzel’s 147th stakes winner.
“It was a very good win. It was only her third start in Group company. I was pretty impressed with it. I thought she won very well,” Messara said.
“She (Autumn Glow) is on a similar track to Lady Shenandoah. We bred Lady Shenandoah, so I’m excited about what she’s done to date,” Messara said.
