It’ll be Verry hard to beat hot favourite Autumn Glow
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Autumn Glow - The undefeated Autumn Glow bringing her impeccable record to nine from nine in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick on Feb 14. The three-year-old daughter of The Autumn Sun will look to extend her haul to 10 straight wins in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1,600m) at Randwick on Feb 28.
PHOTO: RACING PHOTOS
Group 1 racing is back with a bang in Sydney on Feb 28 with the running of the A$1 million (S$898,000) Verry Elleegant Stakes (1,600m) at Randwick attracting arguably Australia’s best horse going around, Autumn Glow.
With a record of nine from nine, the Chris Waller-trained daughter of The Autumn Sun could be a future champion, with some even seeing shades of Winx in her.
The small nine-horse field makes the speedmap rather simple and straightforward, hence not too many chances of a threat from left field, even if there are multiple-Group 1 winners in the ranks.
However, she has already proven her mettle at weight-for-age level with her first test coming in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1,400m) a fortnight ago on Feb 14, when she delivered an emphatic answer to the rare few doubters out there.
Posted in an ideal one-out-one-back spot by regular partner James McDonald, she just whooshed past her rivals at the 300m, making them look second-rate.
She will meet five of those beaten rivals again on the same weight terms on Saturday. The 2.66L winning margin makes turning the tables on her highly improbable, especially over the 1,600m, which she won brilliantly over in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at the same course last October.
The market also mirrors the minimal risks of an upset. At odds of 3-10, she is the overwhelming favourite to give Waller a new record 12th win in the race formerly known as the Chipping Norton Stakes.
If one had to really search wider for threats, they might come from stablemate Aeliana who was among the five Apollo beaten brigade (second), but who remains a tough customer and handles a wet track, and Sir Delius first-up since his Melbourne Cup withdrawal.
Autumn Glow, who is profiling more like a miler with age, will relish the Verry Elleegant trip, but so will her opponents, including Aeliana.
But she just seems to have more tactical speed from the dam line (Via Africa was a South African champion sprinter in 2013-14) and stamina from the sire line.
One factor in Sir Delius’ corner is his handy first-up record over the mile when he nearly won the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1,600m) on Sept 6, 2025, after a 3½-month break, beaten a head by Lindermann.
The UK import went on to become the early Melbourne Cup favourite following his sweep in his two Spring Group 1 lead-ups, the Underwood Stakes (1,800m) and Turnbull Stakes (2,000m).
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained stayer was, however, scratched from the November showpiece on veterinary advice and makes his comeback on Saturday.
