Championships double for Maurice & The Autumn Sun

Matcha Latte’s resolute victory in Saturday’s $1 million Provincial-Midway Championships Final completed a memorable double for Arrowfield stallions & graduates, after Know Thyself’s thrilling win in the Country equivalent on Day 1 of The Championships.

Matcha Latte’s talent has been evident since his 2YO season when he was Group 3-placed at Rosehill, followed by placings in the Ming Dynasty G3, Gloaming S. G3 and Hobartville S. G2 as a 3YO. 

A series of injuries hampered his natural progress, but in the dedicated care of trainer Sara Ryan and her team, and aided by his own willing & competitive temperament, the 5YO son of Maurice has landed the biggest prize of his 15-start career, taking his earnings for owner Domeland to $1.1 million. 

🍵 Sipping victory!
Matcha Latte takes the Provincial-Midway Championships Final, another win to @AshMorgan6 for @sara_r_racing! 🎉 @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/wyRneoNKAh

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025

Matcha Latte’s jockey Ash Morgan said, “When I got off him at Newcastle, I said to Sara, ‘I’ll be there that day.’ I didn’t have a ride.

“The barrier helped, I was happy to take the sit, he actually quickened better than I thought he would. We sort of lobbed there a bit too soon and Kris’ horse [Lord Of Biscay] had his chance to get us, but he really dug in late.”

Matcha Latte, a $150,000 purchase by Viribright Racing from Arrowfield’s 2021 Inglis Classic draft, is the best of two winners so far left by the unraced mare Wayward (by Redoute’s Choice), a half-sister to Caulfield Cup G1 winner Caerless. Her 2022 filly by Shalaa was an Inglis Digital purchase last year by Kendrick Racing. 

Maurice, a top 10 sire in Japan since 2022, has just recorded his career-best Inglis Easter results, with 10 yearlings sold for an average price of $503,000, including the $1.4 million filly out of Shoals (by Fastnet Rock). 

Last Saturday 5 April was undoubtedly one of the best days in Arrowfield’s 40-year history of success at Sydney’s racing Headquarters, lit up by the $1 million Country Championships Final winner Know Thyself, a home-bred, -raced & -trained son of home-bred superstar The Autumn Sun. 

Prepared at the Arrowfield Training Centre by Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich and masterfully ridden by the stable’s regular jockey Aaron Bullock, Know Thyself unwound a big finish to defeat a gallant Lisztomania by a short half-head in 1:21.74. The Andersen family’s home-bred Fukubana (Dundeel-Sekiyama) – who also carries the Arrowfield brand – produced the fastest last 600m time to finish third. 

Never doubt yourself!

A finish for the ages in the Country Championships Final, and Know Thyself wins it by a whisker for @Paulmessara and @LGavranich with @Aaronbullock90 aboard! 👏@aus_turf_club | @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/GPLIwD8z0Q

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025

It was a thrilling finish to a long-term plan that delighted the large number of Arrowfielders and Ladbrokes Racing Club members, led by Dan Cobby, who were at Randwick to cheer the 4YO gelding home.

Paul Messara said, “We put 12 months’ planning into this and not often does it come off, but we always felt Know Thyself was the right sort of horse for this series.”

“It’s a relief to finally win this race, this means a lot to Leah and all our team at Arrowfield. Leah rides this horse every day, she treats him like a Labrador. She’s there hand-feeding him all the time, so really happy for her.

“Know Thyself is a very talented horse and we were confident we had him right for today, he loves a bit of give in the track, and Aaron gave him a great ride.’”

Know Thyself, who qualified for the Final by winning the Northern Wild Card at Scone on 21 March, has won 5 of his 8 starts and placed in last season’s Winx Guineas G3 for earnings of $881,000. The $200,000 Scone Cup LR on 16 May now beckons.

Bred by Arrowfield in partnership with LNJ Foxwoods, Know Thyself is the second foal of the unraced Dubawi mare Mantra Of Life, whose 4th dam is Northern Dancer’s prolific & influential half-sister Raise The Standard.

Know Thyself has 4 younger siblings: the fillies Mind Shift (by Written Tycoon), owned by Yulong, and Verity (by The Autumn Sun)  in training with Paul & Leah; a yearling half-brother by St Mark’s Basilica, purchased for $700,000 by Tom Magnier at Magic Millions; and a weanling half-sister by Maurice. 

It’s been a productive week for The Autumn Sun, who added Hong Kong wins by the exciting John Size-trained 3YO Sky Jewellery & 4YO Another Zonda, and a second win by the progressive 3YO filly Grinzinger Sun at Geelong on Friday. 

With 60 wins and $5.2 million prizemoney, The Autumn Sun holds second spot on the current Australian 3rd Season Sires’ table.