Autumn Mystery emerges as another shining light for Arrowfield’s star sire
Arrowfield’s emerging star stallion The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) moved into double figures for stakes winners when Autumn Mystery brought a first black type success for Mornington-based trainer Rory Hunter in Saturday’s Caulfield Classic (Gr 3, 2000m).
Sent out a $4.60 third-favourite for the old Norman Robinson Stakes under Blake Shinn, the gelding began well and settled third on the fence as an engrossing tactical battle in the eight-runner race ensued.
After a steady tempo had been set, moves came from the back passing the 700 metres, and Autumn Mystery was shuffled back to second-last, forcing Shinn to sweat on a run rounding the home turn.
But switched to the left from the middle of the ruck at the 200 metres, Autumn Mystery drove up strongly inside a line of five rivals to prevail by 0.75 lengths.
Arrowfield stallions filled the first four in a bunched finish.
Shuttler Maurice (Screen Hero) sired the minor placegetters as Nick Ryan’s Miewa racked his second straight stakes second placing, while a third gelding, Cairon Maher’s Amazake, claimed his first piece of black type in third.
And Matt Cumani’s colt Deal Done Fast (Dundeel), bred and owned by South Africa’s Drakenstein Stud, clung on for fourth after being the first to come from the back down the Railway Side.
Autumn Mystery tightened to $6 second-favouritism for the VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) on November 1, with Miewa at $8. The market is headed by Maher’s Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) third placegetter Observer (Ghaiyyath).
The win for Autumn Mystery – bought for a mere $15,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale – gave The Autumn Sun ten stakes winners from 198 starters at 5.05 per cent.
Arrowfield’s ten-year-old, back serving mares this spring at $66,000 after a year off with a pelvis injury, will yet again have a strong chance at siring another Classic winner should Autumn Mystery contest the Derby as expected.
Four of The Autumn Sun’s five Group 1 winners have scored in Classics, alongside two other Classics placegetters.
Having shown ability as a two-year-old, Autumn Mystery ran a 4.5 length ninth in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Spelled immediately, he returned to follow placings at Sandown and Bendigo with his breakthrough win in Flemington’s VRC Derby Preview (1800m) on September 21, his last start for almost a month before Saturday.
The victory was also an emotional one for Hunter, who had his first runner less than three years ago.
“It’s massive. This horse is a star. He’s still six months away from being the best of him, it’s just incredible,” Hunter said.
“To do it with such a supportive family. They’ve been so loyal to me along the way and stuck with me. I can’t thank them enough.
“We’ve got ten in work, but we’ve got the capacity to have 20 if we want. The more horses the merrier, keep them coming.
“These moments don’t come along very often, and to be here and share with my family and such a loyal bunch of owners and the staff around us, it’s just amazing.”
Hunter confirmed the Derby would be next for Autumn Mystery.
“At this stage, but we’ll just see how he pulls up over the next couple of days. The horse is more important than anything, but it’s sensational. It’d be a boyhood dream, that’s for sure,” said Hunter, greatly appreciative of Shinn’s ride.
“I was sweating there for a minute, but I think once he saw daylight, I was pretty positive he was going to get the win.
“He’s [Shinn] tasted success of a Group 1 50 times or more, so you can’t doubt his experience.”
Shinn was delighted with the victory.
“It was a great win. He ran the 2000 [metres] out and bring on the Derby,” the jockey said.
“I was really happy from the jump. He was a little bit keen through the first 400 [metres], with the break between runs but I got him to switch off from the 1200.
“But then the pressure came on early. I was happy following Mark Zahra [on favourite Engine Of War], but he wasn’t going anywhere approaching the turn and I had to look for another opportunity.
“Fortunately enough, the horse was nimble enough to dart back to the inside, the run came and he did the rest.”
Shinn also paid tribute to Hunter.
“This is what dreams are made of. It honestly gives me so much satisfaction to achieve a result like this for Rory, his family and the owners,” he said. “He’s a lovely guy, small team, he’s competing at the carnival and winning a black type race at Caulfield.
“Full credit to Rory, he’s prepped him up lovely. Had a break between runs, up to 2000 [metres] and he’s managed the horse impeccably well.”
Bred by Gilgai Farm, and bought from their Premier draft by owners Nick and Denise Thompson, Autumn Mystery is the fourth foal of the Moonee Valley Group 3-placed winner Stop Making Sense (Sebring).
Second dam Etoile Fille (No Excuse Needed) is a half-sister to the dam of former star sprinter I Wish I Win (Savabeel), while third dam Starcent (Centaine) was a multiple New Zealand stakes-winner, and Group 1-placed.
Stop Making Sense now has a two-year-old colt by Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible), a yearling colt by Yes Yes Yes (Rubick), and a colt foal by Flying Artie (Artie Schiller).