Racing
Autumn Glow makes it a perfect 10 in thrilling Verry Elleegant Stakes win
Autumn Glow, racing's "Miss Invincible", just keeps winning.
Chris Waller's unbeaten super mare made it a "perfect 10" in the Group 1 $1 million Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.But this wasn't the runaway win most expected as stablemate Aeliana made a real race of it.
"Autumn Glow is so much better on a firm track,'' McDonald said.
"It was more a workmanlike win today but she was never going to lose. She's just a star.''
Waller won a record-enhancing 12th Verry Elleegant Stakes (formerly Chipping Norton Stakes) and he also believes the narrow winning margin of a long neck was not a reflection of Autumn Glow's dominance.
"She had to go to 1600m second-up which isn't easy and it makes this a tricky race,'' Waller said.
"But from here on her races will just flow nicely for her. She's won well again and always looked to have control of the race.
"The second horse, Aeliana, is very good but Autumn Glow always looked like she was going to win.''
Autumn Glow now boasts the third-longest winning streak to start a career in Australian racing history.
Black Caviar retired unbeaten after 25 starts (15 at Group 1 level) while Barakey won his first 11 starts including the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes before he met defeat for the first time in the 2013 Newmarket Handicap.
"It seems she didn't enjoy the ground and didn't switch legs in the straight,'' Messara said.
"But to be unbeaten in 10 starts, only two horses have managed that before, so we are in rarefied air.
"It's humbling to be owning a mare as good as this. You spend a lifetime in this game trying to breed or buy one as good as her.''
Autumn Glow ($1.26 favourite) scored her 10th win from as many starts and her second at Group 1 level as she drew clear of a very game Aeliana ($12) as the two top mares put nearly four lengths on their chasing rivals with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Sir Delius ($8) third.
Waller has seven of the nine starters in the big race and trained four of the first five to finish with stayers Soul Of Spain and Wootton Verni finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
"It doesn't matter where she draws, what the track conditions are, or distances, she puts herself in the race,'' he said.
"She will go to the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) next start and I'd love to try her at 2000m (Queen Elizabeth Stakes) but she's got 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 Mile.''
Autumn Glow was allocated 56.5kg for the $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 4 – the same weight the mighty Winx carried to win the race in 2016.
"I'll talk to Mr. (John) Messara and the Hermitage team in Hong Kong. I respect what they've got to say more than anything,'' Waller saiud.
"The Doncaster is still in play, yes, definitely still in play, but the only thing with the Doncaster is there are few unknowns.
"You can get barrier draws, like barrier 20 and things like that. She's had some tricky draws in her previous races, but I guess when you've got a smaller weight-for-age field where your draws aren't as important, it makes the job a bit easier."
Messara said no decision will be made on Autumn Glow's ultimate autumn carnival mission until after the George Ryder but McDonald was more definitive.
When asked what makes Autumn Glow so good, McDonald replied:
"Her demeanour, her presence, she knows she's good. You can just see her strut around, even cantering to the start,looking around like 'you guys have got none','' he said.
"She's so good and moves like a dream. She just breathes so well, is so push-button, and she's got an incredible turn of foot.
"We weren't going to see the same performance we did first-up because of the ground. Even though it wasn't to her liking she was always going to win, even if I went another furlong."
Aeliana, who ran another blinder to give Autumn Glow her most serious test, will go to the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
"Aeliana is a pretty good horse, simple as that,'' Waller said.
"I think that next start they'd head different ways, thanks to this, because it's not good for the nerves. Yes, she's a very good horse, Aeliana, and she'll head to the Ranvet."
Check out the latest South African News