Rising super star The Autumn Sun cruised to a dominant win in the 2018 Group 1 $2m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield today.
The Autumn Sun, above, scores a runaway win in the 2018 Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Autumn Sun officially stated that he is the next super star of the Australian racing scene with an emphatic four and a half lengths trouncing of his rivals in the classic Group 1 for the three year olds.
The Chris Waller trained The Autumn Sun is the Prince in waiting to succeed the Queen of the Australian Turf, his stablemate Winx, who has already stamped her presence during the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival with her win in the Group 1 $500,000 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Winx will be chasing her fourth straight win in the Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 27 and there is a slight chance that The Autumn Sun might be lining up beside her.
“How can he beat Winx if he not fully mature?” Waller said.
“He has to be the next world champion to do it. I have to speak to the owners, they will have the call, it won’t be me.”
“If he is going to be a world champion, I would rather see it in six months time, rather than in two weeks time.”
“You have just seen what he is capable of and I don’t think he has matured yet.”
“I have a bit of experience with some nice colts and he is as good as they get. He is a super star.”
The Autumn Sun collected his third Group 1 win from only six race starts but things didn’t pan out in the first half of the race as winning jockey James McDonald had expected.
The Autumn Sun’s usual racing style is to get well back in the field and power home from the back as he did in winning the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill three weeks ago.
But after he jumped brilliantly from the gates, McDonald found himself in the first half of the field instead of the back half and as a result The Autumn Sun ($1.70 favourite) was posted three wide for the majority of the trip but that didn’t stop him treating his opposition with contempt to score a runaway win.
“That is why you respect good jockeys, they let horses get in their own comfort zone and we won this race with Press Statement a few years ago and we never expected him to lead, but he lead,” Waller said.
“They are in their zone. Yes they are covering extra ground, yes it is unfamiliar, but it shows how good he is.”
Runner up and $101 shot Vassilator ran the race of his life while Oohood ($9.50) ran her usual honest race to fill third spot.
