Craig Kerry
Champion trainer Chris Waller marvelled at the athleticism and natural brilliance of Autumn Glow after she cruised to a two-and-a-quarter-length win in the $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1609m).
The five-year-old mare, Australia’s horse champion of last season and a $1.26 favourite, went to 14 wins in 15 starts and beyond $12.8 million in earnings, holding off a brief challenge from Ceolwulf to sprint clear under James McDonald.
“I was watching Ceolwulf and I was watching it with Darren [Beadman] and I said, ‘Oh, are we in trouble?’ And he said, ‘No’,” Waller recounted.
It was a straightforward win after “an interesting week” in which Waller adjusted Autumn Glow’s training to prepare for front-running hero Pride Of Jenni, which was scratched on Thursday with a leg infection.
“Her work’s been fantastic and she’s just an absolute professional,” Waller said.
“We asked to do a little bit more work this a week, expecting a wet track, expecting solid speed in the race. She just took it all in a stride, and she’s come out and done that today.
“But I don’t think it really matters how you train her … she could train herself.”
Autumn Glow appears likely race on to the Champions Mile at Flemington in two weeks.
It capped a big day for part-owners Arrowfield, which won the $2 million Kosciuszko with Chains Of Love.
Golden chance beckons after gear change
Randwick trainer Michael Freedman was looking to the $10 Golden Eagle (1500m) with $26 hope Apocalyptic after the mare lifted late to down top fancies Skyhook and Beiewacht in the $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m).
The MyRacehorse talent came down the outside under Tommy Berry to beat Skyhook by a short neck, with Beiwacht a neck further back, giving her a first win since claiming the group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) a year ago.
“It’s really satisfying because for the last six to 12 months, she has been going as well as she was 12 months ago at home, but on race day she has been doing a few things wrong,” Freedman said.
“She’s been in a little bit of a mood and doing that hanging business up the straight, so we changed her gear around and put some visors on, a lugging bit on. It’s just great to see her back to what I know she’s capable of.”
He said the Golden Eagle on October 31 at Randwick was next.
“I can’t see any reason why we wouldn’t have a crack at a race like that because she is one of the better horses I’ve ever had anything to do with,” he said.
So You Are stamps Cup credentials
Trainer Bjorn Baker was looking to the Melbourne Cup with So You Are after he fought back late to add the group 3 St Leger Stakes (2600m) to his string of feature wins.
Gavin Bedggood-trained $31 chance Tempesti levelled up to favourite So You Are before Tommy Berry lifted Baker’s promising stayer over the final 100m to a three-quarter-length victory.
The gritty win came after listed and group 3 victories at 2400m for Stuart Ramsey-bred and owned So You Are, which was moved to Baker’s stable in August from Armidale’s Stirling Osland.
“Off the deck to get up, he’s a really, really good stayer and I can’t wait to see him over two miles,” Baker said.
“I’m sure he will be able to get into the Melbourne Cup off of that and hopefully he comes through that well.”
The win gave Baker an early feature double. He was eyeing a call-up in the $2 million Invitation or a shot at the group 1 Empire Rose with Unleeshing after she came from second last to mow down stablemate Pillow Fight in the group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m).
The five-year-old, with Jason Collett aboard, made up several lengths to win by three quarters of a length in the fillies and mares feature.
Her Warwick Farm trainer believed both mares were only going to get better and he hoped Unleeshing could join stablemate Perfumist in the Invitation (1400m) next week at Randwick.
He said the Empire Rose (1600m), a mares race over the mile at Flemington, the following week was another option.
Arrowfield mare loves the fight in Kosciuszko
Chains Of Love, part-owned by former broadcaster Alan Jones, produced a remarkable effort to give trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich back-to-back wins in the $2 million Kosciuszko (1200m).
The four-year-old mare, trained by the team from Arrowfield Stud at Scone, was five wide or worse for the entire trip under Zac Lloyd but still had enough late to edge out Band Of Brothers by a head in an epic finish.
Messara and Gavranich won the richest race for country-trained horses last year with Clear Thinking and this year combined with a Scone syndicate of slot-holders.
“We were five deep, I thought we had no hope, so an amazing effort by the horse,” Messara said. Asked if he thought she was going to run second, he replied: “I thought I was going to run last.”
Fillies firing for Gibbons and Sargent
Dylan Gibbons came away unscathed after John Sargent-trained Beyond The Reef caught him off guard following their victory in the group 3 Reginald Allen Quality (1400m) at Randwick.
Gibbons and Sargent, who combined for victory with Global Goal in the group 1 Flight Stakes two weeks ago, pulled off an upset with $31 chance Beyond The Reef, which swept down the outside for a length and a quarter win after three placings at provincial level.
Gibbons was dislodged well past the post when the filly shied, leaving him a long walk back.
“It was the shadow from the trees, and she spotted it and I was too busy trying to enjoy the moment and she caught me off guard,” Gibbons said.
Sargent, who trained Beyond The Reef’s mother, Miss Moana, to second in the group 3 South Australian Classic, said the filly could go for a spell and come back for the autumn after the “throw at the stumps” on Saturday paid off.
Sargent and Gibbons will combine again with Global in the group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) next week at Randwick.
Lloyd lands Knockout blow for Deamer
Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer praised the poise of Zac Lloyd after he gave It’s A Knockout a gun ride to take the recent addition to his stable into the $3 million Big Dance on Melbourne Cup day with victory in the wildcard (1600m).
The Dynamic Syndications-owned six-year-old mare, which came to Deamer’s yard from top trainer Ciaron Maher just eight weeks ago, was put into the one-one by Lloyd before she took over approaching the 300m and powered to a two and quarter-length win.
“He’s a genius, the young bloke,” Deamer said of Lloyd.
“He just gave it a perfect run, just let her build into it, and asked for that effort with no weight on her back today.
“He’s just so relaxed, and he and his dad, they do their homework.”
The Randwick track upgraded to a soft 6, retrospective of race one. Lloyd said post race the track felt like a Soft 6 already. The track had copped 99mm in the week prior.
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-prepared Matias was second to also make the rich mile race at Randwick. The stable also has Just Party qualified for the Big Dance, but Ryan said he may not make the trip and will race next week in the Five Diamonds Prelude at Randwick.