The Autumn Sun blazes in Guineas victory
"He's one of those horses that make you go 'wow, how good is he'" - Chris Waller after The Autumn Sun's Guineas victory. (PHOTO: Gary Wild)
Even the incomparable Danehill left only two Australian-bred colts that won at Group 1 level as a 2YO and then won two or more Group 1 races at three.
Their names? Flying Spur – Champion Sire of Australia, 2007 and Redoute’s Choice – Champion Sire of Australia, 2006, 2010 & 2014.
On Saturday the colt Arrowfield bought into earlier this week, The Autumn Sun joined that exclusive club with a glorious victory in the $2 million MRC Caulfield Guineas 1600m G1.
That followed his successes in last season’s J.J. Atkins S. G1 and last month’s Golden Rose S. G1.
Only Champion 2YO and Champion 3YO Filly Miss Finland, and Horse of the Year Lankan Rupee, with five Group 1 wins apiece, now rank ahead of him on the Redoute’s Choice honour roll.
The race didn’t go to plan for The Autumn Sun who jumped more sharply than jockey James McDonald expected and ended up racing three wide without cover for much of the race.
It mattered little to the colt who took control at the top of the straight and powered away from Vassilator and last-start Group 1 winner Oohood to score by 4.5 lengths, giving McDonald time to savour the victory.
What a horse! The Autumn Sun blows them away in the CAULFIELD GUINEAS.
Results: https://t.co/p9RzpYOVnp pic.twitter.com/3vsvG2bbma
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 13, 2018
Arrowfield’s John Messara said, “We’re absolutely delighted to share such a wonderful win with Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Chris Waller and his team.
“To sit as wide as he did and then win in such a dominant manner confirms that The Autumn Sun is a very special horse.
“It is extra special that we bred and sold him with the Aga Khan Studs at Inglis Easter and that he has won the race that made his sire Redoute’s Choice a legend 19 years ago.”
The Autumn Sun was purchased for $700,000 from the Stud’s 2017 Inglis Easter draft by Hermitage Thoroughbreds & Chris Waller Racing, assisted by agent Guy Mulcaster. After five wins from six starts, his earnings now exceed $2.3 million.
The Autumn Sun is the second foal of the young Galileo mare Azmiyna, an unraced half-sister to European Champion Azamour & Group 2 winner Arazan, from Listed winner Asmara.
His three-quarter sister by Snitzel was secured for $1.3 million by the same Hermitage/Waller/Mulcaster team at this year’s Easter Sale. Azmiyna has a yearling colt by Not A Single Doubt and is due to foal again to Snitzel this Spring.
