Trainer Chris Waller‘s undefeated mare Autumn Glow will need to overcome the widest barrier draw—gate 14 of 14—to retain the flawless start to her career when she lines up as the short favourite in the 2025 Epsom Handicap field at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Autumn Glow is odds-on favourite for the 2025 Epsom Handicap. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Group 1 $1.5 million mile feature has drawn a high-quality field of 14, but The Autumn Sun four-year-old dominates the latest betting at an odds-on quote of $1.90 through Ladbrokes, chasing her sixth consecutive win.
Waller Chasing History with Electric Mare
Waller, who is chasing his sixth Epsom Handicap victory, is optimistic about the mare handling the 1600m distance for the first time in her career.
Autumn Glow has been emphatic this preparation, with two excellent wins, including her last-start two-length demolition in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes.
Her performance in the Theo Marks had Waller declaring her as “very, very good.”
“I think she might have almost given Kerrin (McEvoy) a fright how quickly she quickened up rounding the home turn,” Waller said after the win.
“She is just electric. Obviously, she is very versatile in terms of how to be ridden. She has got bags of speed.
“Her optimum distance range who knows. She is just very very good.”
She will carry 54.5kg with Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride, while Waller bookends the market by also saddling up the rank outsider Lord Penman ($71).
Major Threats and Defending Champion
Last year’s champion, Ceolwulf for Joe Pride, returns as the main danger on the second line of Epsom Handicap betting at $8, looking to go back-to-back for the first time since Desert War (2004-05).
The five-year-old, who completed the Epsom – King Charles III Stakes double last spring, carries the 58kg topweight and jumps from gate nine with Chad Schofield aboard.
He is third-up this campaign, with his latest run being a third behind Fangirl in the 7 Stakes.
Also sitting at $8 is the Bjorn Baker-trained Pericles. The Group 2 Tramway Stakes winner is second-up and looking to complete the Tramway Stakes – Epsom Handicap double, last achieved by Happy Clapper (2017).
He is allocated 57kg and has drawn well in barrier five for jockey Josh Parr.
Rounding out the single-figure hopes at $9 is Willydoit for Ciaron Maher.
The NZ Derby-winning expat is tipped to improve sharply on his first run for Maher when he finished eighth in the Tramway Stakes with excuses from a wide draw.
“We just took our medicine from the gate,” jockey Tommy Berry said after the horse’s run fresh.
“Love the way he ripped through the line. I think he might be on an Epsom path and he’s right up to that.”
He now drops from 58kg to just 53kg and draws much better in gate two.
2025 Epsom Handicap Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x45315x443 | CEOLWULF (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Chad Schofield | 9 | 58kg | 114 | ||
| 2 | 3491x845x1 | PERICLES | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 5 | 57kg | 112 | ||
| 3 | 43x5x02x47 | YELLOW BRICK | Tony & Maddysen Sears | Andrew Mallyon | 11 | 55.5kg | 108 | ||
| 4 | 111x1x11 | AUTUMN GLOW | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 14 | 54.5kg | 111 | ||
| 5 | 76x1x231x3 | PIER (NZ) | Darryn & Briar Weatherley | Ethan Brown | 13 | 53.5kg | 105 | ||
| 6 | 3111014×8 | WILLYDOIT (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Tommy Berry | 2 | 53kg | 104 | ||
| 7 | 53x7437x64 | ENCAP | Gary Portelli | Reece Jones | 6 | 52kg | 102 | ||
| 8 | 28x11115x4 | EL CASTELLO | Joseph Pride | Andrew Adkins | 1 | 51kg | 100 | ||
| 9 | 5253112×03 | DEPTH OF CHARACTER | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Ms Rachel King | 7 | 50kg | 96 | ||
| 10 | 6x23324x66 | SWIFTFALCON | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Ms Alysha Collett | 4 | 50kg | 96 | ||
| 11 | 0x45055123 | FULLY LIT | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ms Winona Costin | 8 | 50kg | 90 | ||
| 12 | 1x11468x02 | VERONA ROSE | Gary Portelli | Ben Thompson | 3 | 50kg | 90 | ||
| 13 | 116324×315 | MAGNATEAR | Richard & Will Freedman | Jay Ford | 12 | 50kg | 89 | ||
| 14 | 2211191×27 | LORD PENMAN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Zac Lloyd | 10 | 50kg | 86 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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