Autumn Glow beats Ceolwulf for fifth Group 1 with Royal Ascot in view
Autumn Glow claimed her 14th win from 15 starts as the Chris Waller-trained mare took the King Charles III Stakes, with a Royal Ascot trip in June still on the table.
Autumn Glow easily won the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick, extending her record to 14 wins from 15 starts and denying Ceolwulf a hat-trick of wins in the race.
The Chris Waller-trained mare started the $1.26 favourite in a field of five and after settling off a decent pace set by Just Folk, took control of the race, cruising away to beat Ceolwulf by 2¼ lengths on the line.
Ceolwulf was 7½ lengths clear of 10-year-old Just Folk.
“Lobbed into a good spot. I clicked her up at the 600m. I wanted to open her up today. Hasn’t had a lung buster for a few starts. I opened her up and she got to the line. Was waiting for Ceolwulf with his blinkers on, he never came,” jockey James McDonald said.
All of her five Group 1 wins, the 2025 Epsom, the Verry Elleegant Stakes, George Ryder Stakes, Winx Stakes and now the King Charles, are between 1400 and 1609 metres.
The win was Waller’s 10th in the race, two short of Tommy Smith’s 12.
Autumn Glow is by The Autumn Sun out of the Var mare Via Africa and was bred by Newhaven Park.
Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock bought her for $600,000 at the 2022 Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. She then topped the 2023 Easter Yearling Sale at $1.8 million, selling to Arrowfield Stud and Hermitage Thoroughbreds.
The plan is to finish her spring at Flemington during Melbourne Cup Week, and the Champions Mile has been reported as the likely race.
“We will have a chat with Mr Messara and Hermitage and see what they want to do. But we also want to make sure she has a long career so we want to look after her,” Waller said.
The longer-range target is Royal Ascot, with Waller saying he may have to alter her programming earlier next year to target shorter races in the build-up.
Joe Pride said after the race that Ceolwulf is likely to head to next week’s Group 1 Cox Plate in Melbourne.
“Really proud of him. He was very good there. Followed her everywhere she went. She quickened very well but so did we. Was always holding a good margin on us. I looked after him late in case they want to go next week,” jockey Chad Schofield said.
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