Autumn honour – Superstar mare crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year

Autumn Glow has been crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year after a remarkable 2025/26 season in which she won three Group 1 races and the Golden Eagle.

Raced in partnership with John Messara’s Arrowfield Stud and Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Autumn Glow received 110 votes to defeat Half Yours on 69, Sheza Alibi on 67, Via Sistina on 66 and Sir Delius on 65.

The award was presented at the Australian Racehorse of the Year ceremony at Royal Randwick on Thursday night, hosted by the NSW Racehorse Owners Association in conjunction with Racing NSW.

Autumn Glow also secured the Champion Middle Distance title with 114 votes, ahead of Via Sistina on 101 and Sir Delius on 97.

The daughter of The Autumn Sun was unbeaten in four starts last spring, earning a Group 1 breakthrough in the Epsom Handicap before winning the $10 million Golden Eagle, which is now a Group 1 race.

She returned in the autumn with three straight weight-for-age wins before being beaten for the first time in 12 starts with her minor placing in the Queen Elizabeth when tried over 2000m.

Autumn Glow began her latest spring campaign in Group 1-winning form with her victory over Sheza Alibi in the Winx Stakes at Randwick last Saturday.

Her trainer Chris Waller was also recognised for a record-breaking season.

Waller accepted the award as the Group 1 Trainer of the Year after preparing 22 winners at the highest level.

Messara said Autumn Glow’s acceleration was a major factor behind his growing confidence in her ability to continue dominating at the highest level.

But he admitted that watching the mare race remained a nerve-racking experience despite her record of success.

“With time, I’m going to get more confident and enjoy the racing more than I do at the moment where I’m watching it with great trepidation, but she’s never let us down,” he told The Straight.

Autumn Glow’s only defeat came when she finished third in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a race Messara believes provided evidence that her optimum distance will be 1600m.

“I had a feeling at the time that she wasn’t going to be a 2000-metre horse,” he said.

“But, you know, it was decided by the group that we’d give her a go at that distance, which could have opened up the Cox Plate for us.”

Messara said the mare’s breeding suggested her future should instead be concentrated around shorter distances.

“I think her pedigree indicates that she’s going to be a sprinter-miler, and I think that’s probably where she’d stick to,” he said.

James McDonald was named Group 1 Jockey of the Year for a sixth consecutive season as he played a starring role in Autumn Glow’s season.

Joliestar was named Champion Sprinter after her victories in the TJ Smith Stakes, Canterbury Stakes and The Shorts.

Half Yours, who completed the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double, was the runaway winner of the Champion Stayer category with 195 votes.

Sheza Alibi took the Champion Three-Year-Old Filly award with 197 votes following her victories in the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile.

Autumn Boy was named Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding after collecting 136 votes, narrowly defeating Tentyris on 130.

Guest House was the clear winner of the Champion Two-Year-Old award with 191 votes following his Golden Slipper success.

The late Snitzel was named Champion Sire after his progeny amassed $26.03 million in stakes earnings during 2025/26.

Snitzel produced six individual Group 1 winners during the season in Fireball, Campione D’Italia, Lazzura, Marhoona, Transatlantic and Baraqiel.

In the Champion Jumps horse category, Stern Idol was voted N0.1 for the third time in four years in a fitting end to a remarkable career.