The Autumn Sun – great things come in threes
The Autumn Sun's 6 Group 1 performers from his first 100 runners place him in elite stallion company. (PHOTO: Joan Faras)
Few stallions make the kind of impact that The Autumn Sun made this season with three first-crop 3YO Group 1 Classic winners in three weeks.
First came Autumn Angel who sprinted past both the VRC Oaks G1 winner Zardozi and the New Zealand Derby G1 winner Orchestral to win a notably strong renewal of the Australian Oaks G1 on 13 April.
Described by syndicator Wylie Dalziel as “one of the most genuine fillies we’ve ever purchased”, Autumn Angel also won the Kewney S. G2 & Ethereal S. G3 and ended her season as her sire’s first millionaire.
Four runners gave The Autumn Sun a strong hand in the Australasian Oaks G1 on 27 April and three of them dominated the finish. Vibrant Sun fought tenaciously to hold out Private Legacy & Coco Sun, with the New Zealand Oaks G1 winner behind them.
Co-trainer Michael Kent Jr summed up Vibrant Sun’s performance, “Third-up, 2000 metres, straight to the front, huge effort by the filly….What a gutsy effort by the filly. Huge run.”
A search of stallion records turns up only two other Australasian Group 1 Classic trifectas in the past 40 years, achieved by Sir Tristram in the 1986 New Zealand Oaks and High Chaparral in the 2010 Australian Derby.
There was more to come. Coco Sun backed up on 4 May to take out the South Australian Derby G1 by 1.3 lengths from the subsequent Queensland Derby G1 winner Warmonger.
Coco Sun’s co-trainer Tony McEvoy said, “She’s a really good filly…she’s developed beautifully and she’s the most gorgeous filly. I’m very proud of her.”
These three Group 1 Classic winners head the 11 stakes performers, including Sunday’s Group 3 placegetter Know Thyself, that The Autumn Sun has compiled this season.
As at 15 July, the champion son of Redoute’s Choice is holding 2nd on the Second Season Sires’ earnings premiership with $6 million, and leads on winners (45), wins (68) and stakes wins (7). He has also earned 5th spot in illustrious company on the 3YO Sires’ Premiership.
The Autumn Sun’s breakthrough season produced a $249,000 average price for 25 yearlings sold at Inglis Easter & Magic Millions Gold Coast, and a top price of $650,000 for Arrowfield’s filly ex Missybeel.
But the real fireworks came at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, where US owner John Stewart needed $3.2 million to secure multiple Group 1 placegetter Tutta La Vita and 2YO & 3YO Group winner Autumn Ballet was knocked down to Coolmore for $1.6 million. Like Autumn Angel and Private Legacy, both fillies are Arrowfield graduates.
The Autumn Sun’s six Group 1 performers from his first 100 runners encourage excitement about 2024/25, with almost all of his best performers still in training, a promising group of almost-3YOs headed by stakes-placed Flemington winner Sneaky Sunrise and rising 2YOs in most of Australia’s leading stables.
