Autumn’s the Boy as he continues Guineas-winning family trait
Autumn’s the Boy as he continues Guineas-winning family trait
In a full-circle moment for his trainer Chris Waller, Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) maintained a strong family line of Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winners when taking out the $3 million Classic in a top-class display at Caulfield on Saturday.
A dual winner from his two starts as a juvenile, including in Eagle Farm’s Tattersall’s Stakes (Listed, 1400m) in June, Autumn Boy returned as a three-year-old with a hugely promising runner-up effort behind Sixties (Flying Artie) in the Ming Dynasty Quality (Gr 3, 1400m) on September 13.
Stepping up to elite-level company for the first time in the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) on September 27, the son of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) disappointed slightly with a seventh-placed run – beaten over eight lengths – behind stablemate Beiwacht (Bivouac) at odds of $4.50.
Despite that below-par effort, supporters of Autumn Boy seemed undeterred and backed the colt accordingly into a $4.20 second-favourite on Saturday, support that would prove justified.
Ridden by Damian Lane, Autumn Boy was mid-pack turning for home and angling for a clear run. However, once finding daylight he powered down the outside of his rivals and hit the front with 100 metres left to run, finding plenty to fend off the late challenge of Planet Red (Admire Mars) ($31) by 0.8 lengths.
There was a further 1.7 lengths back to Observer (Ghaiyyath) ($21) in third place.
Autumn Boy’s victory not only emulated his sire’s devastating success in the race for Waller in 2018, but also that of his grandsire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), who narrowly defeated Testa Rossa (Perugino) to land the Guineas back in 1999.
“We’re proud of all the horses that come through the stable,” said Waller. “But when we’ve got champions like The Autumn Sun and we’ve got sons and daughters, it’s pretty special.
“Last week, Autumn Glow, now it’s a super colt with Autumn Boy.
“That looked his race. We like to just identify talent and then try and get them to that big ticket item.
“Today’s such an important race in the horse’s career, a colt who announces them on the big stage. Glenn Ritchie [owner] and his wife, they’ve been so supportive of us, Charlie [Duckworth, assistant trainer] and myself.
“They’ve become good friends of ours and kept investing, kept investing, and we’ve managed to buy them a really nice horse.”
Asked about Autumn Boy’s below-par effort in the Golden Rose last month, Waller said: “It was a track record time. Full credit to the winner [Beiwacht], he led them up and won. The backmarkers just didn’t quite get in the race because we were just running so quick.
“We didn’t lose faith, the ratings people and our form guys said he’s the one, and sure enough, they were right.
“The sectional timings suggested he actually ran quite well. It was his first time in the big dance or the big-time races. He’s come through the run well; he’s come down here with plenty of time.
“The team down here have done a great job. We brought him to Caulfield; we ticked all the boxes, everything suggested he was ready to run a big race.”
As for future plans for this now stud-bound colt, Waller downplayed a potential crack at the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m).
“Not sure. I don’t normally because they’re still babies,” the trainer said of the Cox Plate.
“He’s only had four or five starts, I think. So, it’ll be unlikely for us, but we’ll see what comes out next week, you’ve got the luxury of just sitting tight.
“He’s not overly raced so you can do it, but we’ll have to see how good Via Sistina’s going.”
Winning rider Lane was recording his second-successive victory in the Guineas, having landed the Group 1 aboard Private Life (Written Tycoon) last year.
“Beautiful colt just takes everything in his stride, very easy to deal with and a great turn of foot when needed,” Lane said of the winner.
“So you need that to win these big races, and when he joined in, he really joined in.
“I had a great run. I was able to use my barrier speed and just found myself in a bit of a tricky spot in the corner. But once I navigated that, he put the race away pretty quick. Very easy horse to handle, and as a result, had a nice run.”
In becoming Waller’s second elite-level winner in the space of seven days following on from Autumn Glow’s Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) success last Saturday, Autumn Boy (3 c The Autumn Sun – Rosegarden by Savabeel) was also providing his Arrowfield Stud-based sire The Autumn Sun with a fifth individual Group 1 winner – and his second in the space of a week.
Bred by Richard Rutherford and purchased for $200,000 by his trainer and Guy Mulcaster out of the Amarina Farm draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Autumn Boy is one of two winners from three to race out of the unraced Savabeel (Zabeel) mare Rosegarden, herself from the extended family of Group 1 winner and Group 1 sire Shamexpress (O’Reilly).
Rosegarden has a juvenile colt by Yarraman Park’s Hellbent (I Am Invincible) and, after not being covered the following season, produced a filly by Hellbent recently. The Autumn Sun is standing this season at a fee of $66,000 (inc GST).