Autumn Angel lands G3 Ethereal Stakes

The Autumn Sun added a third stakeswinner to his record when his exciting 3YO daughter Autumn Angel won Saturday’s $200,000 Ethereal S. 2000m G3 on Cup Day at Caulfield. 

The Autumn Sun, also sire of Silver Shadow S. G2 winner Autumn Ballet, is now one of only two Australian 2nd Season Sires with more than one stakeswinner this season. Both Autumn Ballet & Autumn Angel were bred and sold by Arrowfield.

Autumn Angel’s performance was full of merit, because she was held up between horses soon after the turn into the straight, but responded tenaciously when jockey Billy Egan asked her to push through. She then quickly extended to make up 3 lengths over the final 300 metres, chase down last-start Flight Stakes G1 winner Tropical Squall and score by a half-length in 2:03.43.

Little more than an hour after the Ethereal Stakes, The Autumn Sun notched up his 12th individual winner when 3YO gelding Influential broke his maiden by 3 lengths at Kembla Grange for owners including Arrowfield and trainer Chris Waller.

Here she comes…

Autumn Angel’s red-hot form continues as she storms home in the Ethereal Stakes 😇@moodyracingpgm @kscoleman @TheBeeegan pic.twitter.com/P5NyqsL4IN

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 21, 2023

Two months after her maiden win and three weeks after her excellent third in the Stutt S. G2, Autumn Angel’s first black type success is a clear endorsement of her trainers’ view, that she is an Oaks filly. However, her owners and the Moody-Coleman stable have decided to send her to the spelling paddock and focus on the Group 1 options for staying fillies in the Autumn.

Katherine Coleman, who prepares Autumn Angel with Peter Moody, said, “We actually came here with a bit of confidence, but watching the race and the way it panned out, we thought we were in all sorts of trouble, so she’s done a fantastic job…we’re thrilled with her.”

Purchased by Moody Racing and syndicator Wylie Dalziel for $230,000 from Arrowfield’s Inglis Easter draft, Autumn Angel is another result of Arrowfield’s highly successful breeding partnership with Northern Farm. 

She is the best of three winners so far left by Angel Of Mercy (by Hussonet), trained by Gerald Ryan to win the BRC Lord Mayor’s Cup G3 and three Listed Races, as well as finishing a close second in the Tattersall’s Tiara G1 at her final start.

Autumn Angel is followed by 2YO and yearling full sisters, and Angel Of Mercy last week delivered a colt by Maurice. Arrowfield & Northern Farm are also breeding from Mother’s Mercy (Redoute’s Choice-Angel Of Mercy), dam of 2022 & 2023 colts by Dundeel.