The Chris Waller-trained phenomenon Autumn Glow has pushed her unblemished record into double digits, notchng her tenth consecutive victory with a commanding performance in Saturday’s Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.

2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes winner Autumn Glow handed Chris Waller his 12th win in the event. Photo: Bradley Photos.

Market support for the daughter of The Autumn Sun was immense, with the four-year-old starting at a Winx-like price of $1.26.

The win handed master trainer Waller his 12th victory in the historic weight-for-age feature, formerly the Chipping Norton Stakes, as the mare secured her sixth win on her home turf.

“She does everything right, simple as that,” Waller remarked to Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“Doesn’t matter where she draws, what the track conditions are, or distances, she puts herself in the race.

“A different type of horse to some of those good horses I’ve trained when they get back and they have your heart in your mouth, but I still have my heart in my mouth.

“But, yeah, she’s up on the speed. She puts herself there, so that’s the difference.”

Coming off a dominant display in the Apollo Stakes, the superstar relished the mile to claim her second elite-level trophy, adding to her Epsom Handicap win from the spring.

It was a mirror image of the Apollo quinella; stablemate and ATC Derby winner Aeliana finished a game half-length second, while Sir Delius announced himself as an autumn force for the Waterhouse/Bott stable by taking third.

“She’s a pretty good horse, simple as that,” Waller said of the runner-up.

“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 (Group 1 over 2000m at Rosehill on March 21).”

Jockey James McDonald produced a clinical ride, tracking the leaders in fourth as Lindermann set the tempo.

In the straight, J-Mac peeled the mare out to launch her attack.

While Aeliana surged briefly to the lead and showed plenty of grit, she was eventually overhauled by the favourite, who maintained her 100% strike rate with a convincing finish.

“Her demeanour, her presence, she knows she’s so good,” McDonald said.

“You can just see her strut around, even cantering to the start looking around like ‘you guys have got none’.

“She’s pretty good and she moves like a dream. She just breathes so well and so push-button. She’s got an incredible turn of foot.”

McDonald noted the track conditions played a role.

“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,” he explained.

Waller is now plotting the next move, with the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) on March 21 at Rosehill the likely target.

“George Ryder. I’d love to try her at 2000m, 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,” Waller explained.

“She’s got a lot of weight, but she’s a good horse.”

Autumn Glow is currently a dominant $1.20 favourite in George Ryder Stakes futures betting at Ladbrokes.

Looking further ahead to ‘The Championships’, both the $4 million Doncaster Mile (April 4) and the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (April 11) remain under consideration.

“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. It’s still in play, yes, definitely still in play,” Waller said regarding the path forward.

“The only thing with the Doncaster, there’s a 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.”

Punters aren’t waiting for a decision; Autumn Glow has been hammered in from $4.50 to $2.60 for the Doncaster Mile at Ladbrokes.

Meanwhile, McDonald is already eyeing the 2000m test.

“I think she should run Queen Elizabeth. She’ll win it,” he stated confidently.

Following that endorsement, she now sits atop the Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds, into $3.20 from an opening $7.

2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes Results & Finishing Order

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