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Autumn Glow stays unbeaten with Epsom romp

4th Oct 2025

Outstanding mare and Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) took another brilliant step on her seemingly inexorable path towards champion status with a courageous victory in Saturday’s G1 Epsom Handicap over 1600m at Randwick.

Ridden to perfection from the widest gate by Kerrin McEvoy, the Chris Waller-trained 4YO had to work early to move up before the first bend to position off the rump of the leader.

The sight of McEvoy getting busy on Autumn Glow before the turn as leader Fully Lit raced two lengths clear will have concerned some favourite backers who’d supported the mare to start a $1.75 favourite.

But pushed out under hands and heels riding in the first half of the straight, Autumn Glow took the lead at the 200m and - despite her earlier toils - came away to win in dominant fashion by almost 1.5 lengths.

Admirable 4YO and Inglis Classic Sale graduate Fully Lit (Hellbent), winner of the $2m Inglis Millennium in 2024, held on bravely for second, resulting in an Inglis quinella of the famous race.

The victory maintained Autumn Glow’s unbeaten status - with seven wins from as many starts - and brought her elite level breakthrough after she’d previously won two G2s, two G3s and a Listed event.

And it was made more meritorious by the post-race revelation that Autumn Glow had lost a front shoe 300m from the finish.

Autumn Glow is the 110^th individual G1 winning Inglis graduate since 2018.

Bred by Newhaven Park Stud, the daughter of Arrowfield Stud stallion The Autumn Sun was identified as a key target for Arrowfield owner John Messara when offered in Silverdale Farm’s draft at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale of 2023.

Messara had to fight hard to acquire the yearling Autumn Glow, and ultimately his winning bid made her the most expensive lot at the sale, at $1.8 million. The purchase was made in conjunction with the Hermitage Thoroughbreds group of Hong Kong businessman Eugene Chuang, who had raced The Autumn Sun in partnership with Arrowfield.

And given her authoritative triumph in her first attempt beyond 1400m on Saturday, it’s abundantly clear there’ll be plenty more success - and prizemoney - to come.

Messara, a legend of Australian racing and breeding, has long held aloft the mighty Miss Finland - a five-time elite winner from the 1200m of the Golden Slipper to the 2500m of the VRC Oaks - as the finest horse he’s raced.

But after watching Autumn Glow extend her winning run on Saturday, he said the mare could be on her way to earning a similar status.

“It’s hard to beat what Miss Finland did 20 years ago, but Autumn Glow is working her way towards getting to that level,” Messara said.

“She’s well and truly on her way. It’s early days for her, she’s only had the seven starts, but she’s unbeaten and today was very, very tough. She met all the challenges.”

Messara admitted to being worried approaching the home turn.

“I was very nervous, but she’s got enormous depth. She’s very game, and she’s got a good cardio vascular system and a great stride,” he said.

“And losing a shoe 300 metres from the finish wouldn’t have helped.

“We don’t know what the bottom for her is really, because she’s met every challenge we’ve put before her. She’s very, very exciting.”

Messara recalled being “blown away” when he inspected the yearling Autumn Glow at the Easter sale.

“I was starstruck when I saw her, and I wasn’t going to go home without her, and that’s the truth,” he said. “So I paid what was a very high price for me. I don’t usually pay that sort of price for yearlings, so it’s amazing.

“I’m going to breed some lovely produce out of her in the years to come.”

Waller, a man well used to mares with winning streaks having trained the mighty 33-in-a-row Winx, was effusive in his praise of Autumn Glow post-race.

“It means a lot to us,” an emotional Waller said.

“She’s a very talented horse. It's all about Group 1 racing in my eyes and for the future generations. So it was so important to get that box ticked. That was the biggest relief; I think the next run will be fine.

“I'm not worried about the winning record, it's almost impossible to keep that intact. So, yeah, let her be a horse, and we're so lucky to be here in Sydney with so many options. I'm just honoured to be training horses like her.”

At Flemington, Inglis graduates reaped two G2 successes when 3YO gelding McGaw (I Am Immortal) won the Danehill Stakes and Getta Good Feeling (So You Think) took the Edward Manifold Stakes.

McGaw was a bargain $14,000 purchase for Sparta Racing at Melbourne’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale of 2024, when offered by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds for Victorian breeders Havaparty Investments.

The Emma-Lee and David Browne trainee won his first two starts at Pakenham and Caulfield - the latter the rich $1m VOBIS Showdown (1200m).

After a second and a fifth at his third and fourth starts, he stepped out on Saturday and came with a swooping run down the outside to score narrowly by 0.1 lengths from another Inglis graduate, Easter filly My Gladiola.

Off his very modest yearling price, McGaw has now won $835,000 in just five starts.

Getta Good Feeling was a $525,000 buy at Inglis Easter 2024, purchased by bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne from the draft of John and Trish Muir’s Milburn Creek.

Now owned by Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing and trained by Danny O’Brien, the 3YO achieved the rare feat of breaking her maiden at G2 level on Saturday, at start No.4.

Ridden by Billy Egan, Getta Good Feeling - a half-sister to G3 winner and G1 placed Elliptical (Dundeel) - raced in midfield before powering through to closing stages to score a narrow win.

The Flemington meeting ended with more Inglis success when million-dollar entire Media World (Written Tycoon) won the Listed Paris Lane Stakes over 1400m, racing on the pace and hanging on tenaciously to score by 0.2 lengths for his second black type victory.

Bred by Francis and Christine Cook of Mystery Downs, Media World is a graduate of the same Easter Yearling Sale that produced Autumn Glow, bought by Yulong from Fairview Park Stud’s draft for $1.4m.

The Peter Snowden-trained 4YO is out of speedy mare Meryl, a dual G3 winner.

Back at Randwick, another Inglis graduate Shiki (Too Darn Hot) started her career in brilliant style by winning Sydney’s first 2YO fillies’ race of the new season, the G3 Gimcrack Stakes.

Bred by South Australia’s Cornerstone Stud and Millar Racing, Shiki was a $150,000 purchase for Riverstone Lodge and Suman Hedge Bloodstock at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale of 2024.

After winning at Sydney’s first official 2YO trials with the fastest time of the day, the Waterhouse-Bott trained filly raced on the pace in the Gimcrack and dug deep in the closing stages to nudge out Classic graduate Screen Icon in what was another Inglis quinella.

Finally at Kalgoorlie, 8YO gelding Sentimental Hero (Al Maher) won the Listed Kalgoorlie Cup over 2300m, his second Stakes win having been purchased for just $50,000 by Andrew Inglis through the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Auction last year.