What we learned from Day 2 of The Championships – A beatable Glow, a Cox Plate question and Willo’s mettle
The end of Autumn Glow’s winning streak posed as many questions as it answered, Craig Williams went from on his backside to the Group 1 winner’s stall and Matthew Smith crowned another Queen.
An Autumn upset as Queen is dethroned
Autumn Glow’s path through her first 11 starts unbeaten had been carefully crafted by her trainer Chris Waller. Only twice on her unbeaten journey had she been won by less than a length, and she had kept to distances of 1100m to 1600m. She had been dominant, but, as Waller does better than any other trainer, had stayed within her comfort zone, albeit with a trio of Group 1 wins.
The Queen Elizabeth was always going to be her greatest test. Up to 2000 metres for the first time against horses which were already proven at that distance range, it was a step into the unknown.
The obvious reaction to her stunning defeat was that she didn’t stand up to the 2000 metres, and that may well be the case, but the way the race panned out certainly wasn’t in favour of the $1.35 favourite.
It was the second fastest edition of the race this century, with Light Infantry Man setting a strong pace, and the horse many expected to be the leader, Lindermann, going back to last. James McDonald must have been scratching his head mid-race.
Not one of Autumn Glow’s rivals were ridden tactically the same as they were at their most recent starts. Those circumstances made the 2000m test against hardened opponents a much greater challenge.
For a brief moment, Autumn Glow looked set to unleash that trademark finish, but spotting Sir Delius a start proved beyond her. It was the sight of stablemate Lindermann getting past her in the final 100m that confirmed for many that the 2000m wasn’t for her.
The new King, but what about the Plate?
Sir Delius’ win, while an upset, was far from a shock. He was a short-priced favourite for the Cox Plate in the spring before an x-ray in the lead-up saw Racing Victoria stewards rule him out of the spring.
Purchased for a multiple seven-figure sum to win a Melbourne Cup, he has now emerged as the benchmark 2000m weight-for-age horse in the country.
Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse have managed him beautifully since his spring setback and he was perfectly set for his date with Autumn Glow in the Queen Elizabeth.
On that result, he would have to be Cox Plate favourite in the spring, but there is a hiccup. Given he was ruled out by RV vets last year, he would face the same x-ray scrutiny this year should he front up for the Melbourne spring.
As a result, bookies don’t know what to do with his price. He is $4 or $5 depending on who you bet with, with Autumn Glow, a $2.50 Cox Plate favourite before Saturday, now between $4 and $7. This year’s Cox Plate is at Flemington, which you would think might count against Waller’s star mare.
Then there is Sheza Alibi, the brilliant Doncaster winner, who seems destined to tackle the Golden Eagle, as opposed to the best weight-for-age horses in Victoria.
It would be a great pity if the Queen Elizabeth winner and the Doncaster winner weren’t at Flemington in late October, but that seems likely at this stage.
Willo’s 90th proves his mettle
Craig Williams’ day did not begin in ideal fashion at Randwick. He was last in the first race and then was tipped off Siracusa shortly after the start in the second race. His best result in his next three rides was seventh.
But as he is shown time and time again, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, Williams’ ride on Sir Delius in the Queen Elizabeth was a masterclass. Reprising the partnership with Sir Owen Glenn which won the 2015 Queen Elizabeth on Criterion, the champion jockey delivered when it mattered most.
It was Williams’ 90th Group 1, and eighth of the season, trailing only McDonald who is on 13, after his victory on the Australian Oaks on Ohope Wins.
It is Williams’ equal most successful Australian Group 1 season of his long career (same as 2006/07), and Saturday’s victory was his first at Group 1 level in Sydney since Bella Nipotina’s 2024 Everest success.
He then topped it off with a pearler of a ride aboard In Flight to claim the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes in the final race.
Matthew the master of mares
Matthew Smith has joined legends Chris Waller, Gai Waterhouse, John Hawkes and Peter Snowden as the only trainers to have won multiple editions of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes this century.
It was a giant-killing victory, as Idle Flyer surged past Group 1-winning horses owned by Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Yulong to claim her first elite victory for her syndicate of ‘mum and dad’ owners.
Idle Flyer was just Smith’s fourth runner in the Queen Of The Turf, having won it with Nimalee in 2022, and continues his remarkable record with Group 1-winning mares. Smith’s first elite success came with Hurtle Myrtle in the 2011 Myer Classic. He also had three Group 1 wins with the entire Fierce Impact.
He is now fourth on the list of Smiths of the Group 1 trainer list (unless we count Gai), behind TJ on 246, Brian Mayfield-Smith on 33, Lindsey Smith on 11.
Kiwi-bred sires in good company
While two of the giants of global breeding, Galileo and his star son Frankel, produced Group 1 winners at Randwick on Saturday, kudos to a couple of Kiwi-bred stallions who also celebrated elite success.
Arrowfield’s Dundeel marked his 10th Group 1 winner, with Idle Flyer just his second daughter to win at the top level.
That came after Ohope Wins added the Australian Oaks to her New Zealand Oaks success in February. She is one of five elite winners for Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park.
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