The Autumn Sun shines everywhere!

It’s been a huge week, in the ring and most importantly, on the track for The Autumn Sun who makes a welcome return to Arrowfield’s serving barn this coming Spring.

The racing highlights, at Saturday’s major Adelaide & NSW meetings, were supplied by a pair of Arrowfield-bred performers from his first crop.

Private Legacy, runner-up in The Autumn Sun’s spectacular Australasian Oaks G1 trifecta last year, became his 8th stakeswinner – and 4th this season – with a well-deserved victory in the $120,000 Centaurea S. 2017m G3 at Morphettville. A cool, rail-hugging ride by Ben Melham set the mare up beautifully, and she did the rest, scoring by 1.6 lengths from the favourite She’s A Hustler. 

Private Legacy cuts the corner finding the fence to charge home! @BMelham pic.twitter.com/aFkUBatFCf

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 10, 2025

A $90,000 purchase by her trainer Greg Hickman from Arrowfield’s 2022 Magic Millions National draft, Private Legacy is the third and final foal of the fine racemare Private Secretary (by Husson).

Private Secretary won 8 races and was three times Group-placed for the Hickman stable, with several of her owners now racing her daughter whose career earnings are now close to $400,000. 

Know Thyself is The Autumn Sun’s second millionaire, joining Australian Oaks G1 winner Autumn Angel after his classy victory for Arrowfield & the Ladbrokes Racing Club in Saturday’s $500,000 The Coast, over 1600m at Gosford. 

Know Thyself makes it four on the trot and wins The Coast! 🔥@AshMorgan6 | @Paulmessara | @LGavranich pic.twitter.com/UpqfNMhL8v

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 10, 2025

The 4YO gelding went forward from gate 10 and settled comfortably for Ash Morgan in second spot, as the early leader Townsend set a solid pace up front. Know Thyself powered up round the turn and drove clear to land his 7th win from 10 starts by almost a length from Depth Of Character & Dundeel’s Group-winning daughter Mare Of Mt Buller.

Paul Messara, who prepares Know Thyself with co-trainer Leah Gavranich, said, “It was a tough win today. I thought the leader really ran along at a good clip and we planned to sit where we did. That went to plan, but they went at a solid number so I thought he was really good to hold them off.

“We just got the blinkers on him and I just wonder if he waited for them to come up to him before he kicked on, but he certainly held them at bay and it was a lovely ride by Ash.”

A decision about a possible start in Friday’s $200,000 Scone Cup LR will be made in the next few days.

Bred by Arrowfield in partnership with LNJ Foxwoods, Know Thyself is the second foal of the unraced Dubawi mare Mantra Of Life, who descends from Northern Dancer’s influential half-sister Raise The Standard. 

The mare has four younger progeny to follow her brilliant son: 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.

These two important victories under-line The Autumn Sun’s results at the Inglis Riverside Stables this week, including a $280,000 weanling filly out of The King’s Widow and the $1.2 million sale of his Group 1-winning daughter Coco Sun. She is The Autumn Sun’s fourth filly sold out of training for a 7-figure sum, after Tutta La Vita ($3.2 million), Autumn Ballet ($1.6 million) & Autumn Angel ($1.225 million).