The Autumn Sun Joins Elite Club

3 minute read

He’s only had five career starts but outstanding stud prospect The Autumn Son has already joined an elite club open only to the very best progeny sired by the champion stallion Redoute’s Choice.

By winning the $1 million Golden Rose at Rosehill on September 22 The Autumn Sun became the tenth multiple Group One winner sired by Redoute’s Choice in his 16 seasons, an achievement that adds further gloss to the colt’s spiralling value as a future sire.

The Chris Waller-trained colt, beaten just once in his previous four starts, recorded his first G1 win in June when he proved too classy for his rivals in the JJ Atkins over 1600m at Doomben.

At that time he was unbeaten, suffering his first defeat when he finished a luckless third in the G2 Stan Fox Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill on September 8 when having his first 3YO start.

His breath-taking finish to win the Golden Rose over 1400m made him the hottest stud target among Australia’s current crop of three-year-olds and notably marked the 50th G1 win on Redoute’s Choice’s remarkable stud record.

Bred by Arrowfield Stud’s joint venture with The Aga Khan, The Autumn Sun was purchased for $700,000 from the 2017 Easter sale by the partnership of Oliver Koolman’s Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Chris Waller Racing, assisted by agent Guy Mulcaster.

His Golden Rose victory took his earnings to $1.1 million, making him the 16th million-dollar earner by Redoute’s Choice.

The Autumn Sun is the second foal of the young Galileo mare Azmiyna, an unraced half-sister to European champion Azamour and G2 winner Arazan from the Listed winner Asmara.

His third dam is the stakes winner Anaza (Darshaan), who is also the dam of G1 winner Astarabad (Alleged) and the stakes-placed Astarak (Rainbow Quest).

The Autumn Sun’s three-quarter sister by Snitzel was secured for $1.3 million by the same Hermitage/Waller/Mulcaster team at this year’s Easter Sale, no doubt aware of the her older relation’s potential.

Azmiyna has a yearling colt by Not A Single Doubt and is due to foal again to Snitzel this spring.

The Autumn Sun’s next target is the $2 million Caulfield Guineas on October 13, which is likely to be his last race before he is set for a classic campaign in the autumn.

"His owners are hell-bent on winning a Derby so that obviously comes first and foremost,” Waller said after the Golden Rose.

While the Golden Rose is firmly recognised as a stallion-making race it is not known as a platform for Derby winners.

The last Golden Rose winner to contest the Victoria Derby was Manawanui in 2011 while no horse has completed the Golden Rose/ATC Australian Derby double since Fairway in 2000. At that time the races was known as the Peter Pan Stakes and was run over 1500 metres.

What we can be sure of is The Autumn Sun is now worth a conservative $15 million as a stud prospect with Arrowfield certain to be in the market to have him return to the place of his birth if comments from John Messara about his early days are noted.

“He was a great colt. It’s very rewarding to see him go on and do these things,’’ said the Arrowfield chairman.

“He did it as a two-year-old and now he’s done it as a three-year-old. For Redoute’s, he’s 22, it’s what you live for.’’

Redoute’s Choice has sired 33 G1 winners among his 160 stakes winners. The colt joins Group 1 winners by Redoute’s Choice including Melito, Stratum, Snitzel, Samantha Miss and Miss Finland. Now 22 years old, Redoute’s Choice stands for $137,500 (inc GST) in 2018.