Autumn Boy dominant in Listed win

2YO colt Autumn Boy became The Autumn Sun’s 9th stakeswinner with a sparkling victory in Saturday’s $160,000 Qld Tatt’s RC Tattersall’s S. 1400m LR at Eagle Farm for Chris Waller and New Zealand owner Glenn Ritchie. 

Unmistakably his sire’s son, Autumn Boy surprised punters at his Sydney debut on 9 June, when he defeated his high-profile stablemate (and subsequent winner) Central Coast. Starting as 7/4 favourite in Brisbane, there was no surprise about his stakes success at his second start – a performance that pegs him as a particularly exciting 3YO prospect for the Spring.  

Autumn Boy caps a very good four days for The Autumn Sun, also sire of Happy Valley winner Another Zonda on Wednesday evening, Friday winner Usk Valley, and Saturday city winners Xarpo (Caulfield), Changing Colours (Rosehill) and Autumn Beauty at Trentham in New Zealand. 

Autumn Boy ‘leaves’ them chasing in the Listed Tatt’s Stakes for the two-year-olds… and remains unbeaten! 🍂@cwallerracing @mcacajamez @BrisRacingClub pic.twitter.com/9vc0y50A1n

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 28, 2025

Jockey James McDonald was effusive in his praise of Autumn Boy.

“They’re lucky the JJ Atkins isn’t in two weeks’ time, because he’d probably win that race. He’s been a real sleeper, but he’s got plenty of ability and he showed that today… the stable has a high opinion of the other colt [Central Coast], so to beat him on debut was a big effort.

“He’s a very promising horse, and he will only keep getting better and better because he hasn’t really woken up yet. He does everything beautifully; he jumps well and had nice cover the whole way. He probably got to the front too soon, but his acceleration was instant.

“He could be anything from a six furlong to a 2000-metre horse; I wouldn’t want to pigeonhole him.”

Assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth added, “We don’t know where the limit is with him, which is exciting especially as he’s a colt. So he’s completely untapped.”

Autumn Boy, from the unraced Savabeel mare Rosegarden, hails from a family nurtured across five decades by New Zealand breeders Richard Rutherford and his mother Marie, based at Beltana Stud in North Canterbury. 

He was purchased for $200,000 by Waller Racing & Mulcaster Bloodstock from consignor Amarina Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale. 

The colt’s 4th dam is Geraniums Red, an unraced daughter of superstar racehorse Brigadier Gerard & the 1968 Irish Oaks winner Celina, whose second foal Affinity (by Zamazaan) won the 1984 Caulfield Cup G1 for Hall of Fame trainer Jim Moloney.

The family has also produced multiple stakeswinner O’Reilly Rose and her three-quarter brother Shamexpress, winner of the Newmarket H. G1 and sire of World Champion Sprinter Ka Ying Rising. 

Autumn Boy is The Autumn Sun’s 5th stakeswinner this season, after his dual Group-winning stablemate Autumn Glow, and Listed winners Matusalem, Private Legacy & Snow In May.