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Autumn Glow trounces rivals in G1 King Charles III victory

17th Oct 2026

Autumn Glow’s unbeaten spring continued in remarkable fashion at Randwick today when the wonder mare scored arguably her most breathtaking victory in the $5m G1 King Charles III Stakes.

Securing her 14^th career win at her 15^th start, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) gave nothing else a chance today as jockey James McDonald toyed with her rivals, never really getting out of second gear in the 2.2 length romp.

The victory took the Chris Waller-trained 5YO’s earnings to $12.7m.

Arrowfield – whose colours Autumn Glow races in – teamed up with Hermitage Thoroughbreds to buy Autumn Glow for $1.8m at the Easter Yearling Sale.

Silverdale Farm offered the Newhaven Park-bred Autumn Glow (pictured) at Easter and her racetrack success has come as no surprise to Silverdale’s Rob Petith.

“She just gets better and she does it so easily. You look at how she parades pre-race and she’s just so calm, energy conserving and even as a weanling and then a yearling she was very efficient like that,’’ Petith said.

“She was a calm filly from a young age, never a bother, she took to everything she was taught.

“Her success is so great for the farm and we’re proud to have played a part in her journey.’’

Winning trainer Waller added: “She is an absolute professional. We asked her to do a bit more work during the week expecting a wet track and more speed in the race but she took it all in her stride and came out and did that today.

“In modern day racing…we have to have them a little bit fitter but it doesn’t matter how you train her, we just keep it simple and she trains herself.’’

Autumn Glow is one of 127 individual Inglis G1-winning graduates since 2018.

Waller and connections will assess Autumn Glow over the next week but will likely push onto the G1 Champions Mile at Flemington the final day of Melbourne Cup Week on November 7.

Earlier on the Randwick card Grafterburners (Graff) took his career earnings past the $3.3m mark with a devastating victory in the G2 Sydney Stakes.

A seven-time winner from 18 starts, Grafterburners has made a knack of winning big prizemoney races – he won the $500,000 QTIS Jewel at two, the $3m Sunlight Plate at three and today’s race was worth $2m.

Trainer Kelly Schweida paid just $70,000 for Grafterburners - who is still an entire at four - at the Classic Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeder Canning Downs Stud.

Schweida felt like the King of Randwick post-race as he was mobbed by a large group of happy owners.

“We paid $70,000 for him at Inglis so this keeps the dream alive for a great group of owners,’’ Schweida said.

“He needs a Group One, being a colt so we’ll probably head to the Champions Sprint at Flemington in a few weeks. Whether he’s good enough, a lot of the Everest horses will go there but it was good to get a win today and we’ll keep the dream alive.

“He showed today what he’s capable of doing, they were pretty good horses there today and he was strong through the line.”

And progressive mare Unleeshing (Dundeel) scored a valuable first black type success when winning today’s G3 Angst Stakes.

The consistent 5YO has only raced 14 times and has already earned more than $500,000 in prizemoney thanks to five wins and seven minor placings.

Trainer Bjorn Baker teamed up with MyRacehorse, Clarke Bloodstock and Belmont Bloodstock to purchase Unleeshing for $80,000 from the Premier Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Blue Gum Farm on behalf of her breeder Rob Crabtree.

“I was watching the leader [stablemate Pillow Fight] then I noticed ‘what is this horse coming’ and it was Unleeshing unleashing her massive sprint for a massive amount of owners,’’ Baker said.

“What a great job My Racehorse is doing, they are promoting the game better than me.

“They are a phenomenal crew, they buy great horses and I’m very lucky to be training for them.

“We have always had a lot of time for her and her owners have been patient so we are very grateful for that.’’

Meanwhile at Caulfield today the ultra-consistent mare Cavalry Girl (Bivouac) led in a First 4 of Inglis graduates in the G2 Caulfield Sprint defeating Don’t Hope Do, Bev’s Nine and Gallant Son.

They don’t come much more reliable than the Tom Dabernig-trained Cavalry Girl – she has now raced eight times this preparation for five wins and three second placings, including a close-up G1 placing.

Joe O’Neill of Prime Thoroughbreds purchased the Patrick Hodgens and Rob Piper-bred Cavalry Girl for $110,000 from the Classic Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Vinery Stud.

She has now won eight of her 19 career starts for $840,000 in prizemoney.

And talented 3YO Quick Finish (Grunt) made it three wins from four starts with victory in the G3 Ethereal Stakes.

Bred by Yulong – who offered Quick Finish at the Premier Yearling Sale and whose colours she races in – the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained filly is now a winner of three of her four starts.

The Ethereal Stakes is a traditional lead-up to the G1 VRC Oaks during Melbourne Cup Week, for which Quick Finish is now an $8 third favourite.

“It’s very exciting for Yulong, they bred this girl and she’s continuing to raise the bar which is fantastic,’’ Calvin McEvoy said.

“We think she’ll stay a trip, it was another box ticked today on that front.

“We don’t have to do a lot with her in between runs…so we’ll head toward Flemington with her now and see how she goes.’’

And in Adelaide exciting colt Kosaji (Maurice) surged into G1 Victoria Derby calculations with a strong win in the Listed Hill Smith Stakes at Morphettville.

Trainers Phillip and Tommy Stokes – along with Suman Hedge - purchased Kosaji for $250,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeder Arrowfield, whose colours the 3YO now races in.

Kosaji will be looking to become the second horse in the past three years to win the Hill Smith/Victoria Derby double following the success of Goldrush Guru in 2024.