News

It's a perfect 10 for Autumn Glow

28th Feb 2026

Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) made it a perfect 10 out of 10 with another visually stunning performance to win today’s G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick.

The undefeated superstar was facing her sternest test to date today, with the likes of one-time Cox Plate favourite Sir Delius among her rivals.

But it mattered little as Autumn Glow did what Autumn Glow does, making her opponents look inferior as she strode away to another spectacular victory.

Arrowfield Stud and Hermitage Thoroughbreds teamed up to buy the Newhaven Park Stud-bred Autumn Glow (pictured) for a sale-topping $1.8m at the Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Silverdale Farm.

The Chris Waller-trained 4YO is one of 115 G1-winning Inglis graduates since 2018.

Silverdale’s Steve Grant was again blown away by the mare’s dominance today.

“It’s incredible, isn’t it,’’ Grant said.

“She is something else. It’s a pleasure just to have a little part of her to remember, she’s just incredible, she’s so cool, calm and collected and when JMac asked her to put in, she’s got it. It’s something amazing.

“She’s getting to the stage where everyone feels like they’ve got a piece of her. It’s great for racing and it’s great to see John Messara and his family enjoying the racing and her journey so much.’’

Winning trainer Waller added: “She just does everything right, it’s as simple as that. It doesn’t matter where she draws, she’s up on speed, she just puts herself there.

“[G1] George Ryder next [in three weeks] and then I’d love to try her at 2000m [in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes] but she’d need to be dominant in her next win to give us that ultimate satisfaction that she can run the 2000m, otherwise it’s probably the Doncaster (1600m).’’

Autumn Glow is now a winner of $7,577,000.

Earlier on the Randwick program Verona Rose (Castelvecchio) booked herself a berth in the G1 Coolmore Classic with a dominant victory in the G2 Guy Walter Stakes.

The reigning Inglis Bracelet victor is already G1 raced – finishing behind Autumn Glow in last year’s Epsom Hcp – but Portelli believes his 4YO mare is more seasoned this campaign for another attempt at the top level.

“I thought physically she had improved this preparation, and here she is,’’ Portelli said.

“She is a daughter of a good stallion in Castelvecchio, we bought her for $40,000 from Arrowfield at the Classic Sale. We were aiming for an Oaks when I first bought her, we thought she has got a pedigree that should run two miles but she’s brilliant.

“I think the Coolmore, down in the weights, she should be very competitive.”

Portelli bought Verona Rose for $40,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where she was offered by her breeder Arrowfield.

She has now won more than $700,000 in prizemoney.

In Perth tonight The Crimson Pirate (Trapeze Artist) made it back-to-back wins with victory in the Listed Lex Piper Stakes at Ascot.

Trained by Daniel Morton and raced by Neville Duncan and connections, The Crimson Pirate is an Easter Yearling Sale graduate of Milburn Creek and from his nine career starts to date, he’s finished in the quinella on eight occasions.

The Crimson Pirate is bred by Oakland Park Stud.

And last night at Cranbourne it was a black type trifecta for Inglis Digital graduates in the Listed Abell Stakes when the Matt Laurie-trained mare Miss Icelandic (Deep Field) beat Corniche and Celsius Star.

John Noblett paid $50,000 for Miss Icelandic in December 2024 online. Prior to that, the mare was both a Premier Yearling Sale graduate and Australian Weanling Sale graduate.