The Autumn Sun’s immediate future is still undecided after the glamour colt collected his fifth Group 1 trophy with a win in the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill last Saturday.

The Autumn Sun, above, claimed a fifth Group 1 victory with his win in the 2019 Rosehill Guineas at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Autumn Sun, above, claimed a fifth Group 1 victory with his win in the 2019 Rosehill Guineas at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Autumn Sun had to dig deep to fight off the challenge of Arrogant on a heavy track to record a head win to keep his 2019 Sydney Autumn Carnival record unblemished with three wins from three starts this campaign against the three year olds.

Trainer Chris Waller prepared The Autumn Sun to win first up in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on February 23 and then the Redoute’s Choice colt was back in the Group 1 winner’s stall with victory in the $1m Mostyn Copper Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on March 9.

Part owner John Messara was very impressed with The Autumn Sun’s Rosehill Guineas win and said the winning effort showed that the colt had a very big heart.

“He has gone from a mile from 2000m on a heavy track, he did get it, and the time they ran was close to the Ranvet, they weren’t ambling, it was similar to the weight-for-age race,” Messara told Sky Sports Radio.

“It is difficult to draw much out of it other than this is a horse with a big heart.”

The Autumn Sun is scheduled to join the stallions roster at Arrowfield Stud on his retirement from the race track and Messara thinks that might he sooner than later.

“He (Chris Waller) sent a note last night (Saturday) that the colt has pulled up well,” Messara said.

“He has had two gut busters now, I’m expecting a call to give him a spell really, that is what I think he will want to be doing.

“He has had three runs this prep, two Group 1s and a Group 2 and he has won them all but they have been tough runs so It wouldn’t surprise me if he proposes he has a bit of a spell now.”

“The part owner, the original owner of the horse, lives in Hong Kong, and I wrote him a note last night saying we have to get together and have a chat about this (his future).

“So I’m waiting to have a chat about this over the next couple of weeks and see where we go from here.

“I’ve got an open mind on it and I will see what our partner in the horse thinks to be fair and we will sit down and make a joint decision.”

The Autumn Sun holds two more nominations during the Sydney Autumn Carnival on both days of The Championships at Randwick in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) on Day One on April 6 and in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on Day Two a week later.

The Autumn Sun has eight wins from nine race starts which includes five Group 1 wins and has earned $3,489,121 in prizemoney.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.