Racing
Waller's golden girls ready to Glow
Racing’s “Miss Invincible”, Autumn Glow, has never been beaten in a race but there is a growing expectation that “we ain’t seen nothin’ yet”.
Autumn Glow is aiming for her 11th win from as many starts and comes off impressive comeback wins in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes and Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes to start her autumn preparation.
But trainer Chris Waller maintains Autumn Glow is only now approaching full fitness and will be at best for the George Ryder.
"I am excited about the George Ryder for Autumn Glow, she is going to be at her peak for the first time this preparation,'' Waller said soon after Autumn Glow had an exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill yesterday.
"The 1500m, three weeks between runs, is the perfect set-up for her."
Autumn Glow is the $1.20 favourite in early TAB Fixed Odds betting on the Ryder. If the mare wins on Saturday, it will be her third Group 1 success of the season, complementing her Golden Eagle win and will put her in prime position to claim Horse of the Year honours.
Waller said Autumn Glow has two more scheduled starts this autumn, both at Group 1 level, to push her claims for Horse of the Year.
The Hall of Fame trainer said the George Ryder Stakes is the "fork in the road" for Autumn Glow's race preparation.
"We need to have a good chat to James (McDonald, jockey) and the owners after the Ryder about whether she goes to the Doncaster Mile (1600m), the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), or the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m),'' Waller said.
"The first two options would be our preferences, it's just a matter of whether we choose a Doncaster or a Queen Elizabeth.
"We're all undecided as to how good she will be over 2000m, if she is going to be as good, or if a mile is her distance.
"It was a good test second-up (Verry Elleegant Stakes) to know she could run a mile as well as she did off a pretty short run-up, so going into a Queen Elizabeth, she will be better prepared to get 2000m, if we choose to go there."
"We've got no problems with her settling over 2000m, no problem with the pedigree side of things,'' Waller said.
"It's just each horse is different and you want to tick every box when you've got a horse like her before you commit."
Kerrin McEvoy put Autumn Glow through her paces in the exhibition gallop while McDonald got to ride Aeliana ahead of the Group 1 $1 million Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
"James hasn't really ridden Aeliana much and he will ride her next Saturday,'' Waller explained.
"She has come back stronger, and her first two runs have been fantastic. She's got the best form heading into a Ranvet.''
The Star Thoroughbreds-owned Aeliana has chased home Autumn Glow in successive weight-for-age starts, making her stablemate work harder than expected to win the Verry Elleegant Stakes by about a half length.
Aeliana hasn't won since her runaway ATC Australian Derby triumph nearly 12 months ago but she has been runner-in in three Group 1 races since and is the $1.80 early favourite for an overdue big-race win in the Ranvet.
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