Owner John Messara reveals 2025 The Championships plans for boom filly Autumn Glow

The sky looks the limit for Autumn Glow after her brilliant return on Saturday, but trainer Chris Waller and owner John Messara are maintaining a cautious outlook heading into The Championships.

Star filly Autumn Glow returned with a bang for trainer Chris Waller on Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens. Pictures: Getty Images, Richard Dobson

Chris Waller’s boom filly Autumn Glow will have a restricted autumn carnival campaign and is likely to be spelled after she contests the Group 2 $1 million Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) at Royal Randwick next month.

Waller and owner John Messara have been discussing a number of different options for Autumn Glow, who maintained her unbeaten record with a powerful first-up win in last Saturday’s Listed Darby Munro Stakes.

Messara said Autumn Glow would almost certainly go to the Arrowfield Sprint on Day Two of The Championships, April, 5, before hinting this could be her last run for the autumn carnival.

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“The Arrowfield (Sprint) is likely to be Autumn Glow’s next start,’’ Messara said.

“She’s only going to have a light autumn and I would say she will go for a break after that then we will look forward to a big spring from her.’’

There have been precedents where Waller hasn’t hesitated to spell an outstanding three-year-old filly rather than give her an extended autumn campaign.

Joliestar only had a one-start autumn campaign last year, winning the Arrowfield Sprint before she was spelled. She returned this season to win the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap.

Autumn Glow is BACK! 🙌

She defends her unbeaten record to win the Listed Darby Munro Stakes with ease!@mcacajamez | @cwallerracing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/J71rmwtYZf

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

• Waller glowing after filly’s brilliant return

Lady Shenandoah has had just the five starts for the Waller stable this season, winning them all – including her three-start autumn campaign before the trainer sent the star filly to the spelling paddock after her Group 1 Coolmore Classic win earlier this month.

Autumn Glow has won her four starts with authority and obviously has Group 1 potential but she is yet to be tested at racing’s highest level.

So it will be interesting to see if Waller and Messara are tempted by the Group 1 $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 19, provided Autumn Glow wins her next start with ease.

“It was good to see her do that!”

Autumn Glow is back with a bang, and here’s what @cwallerracing and @mcacajamez said after her Darby Munro Stakes win 👇@ArrowfieldStud | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/Vo0T5y18yd

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

• Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Five to follow from Golden Slipper Day

Autumn Glow’s win was among a series of highlights for Messara’s Arrowfield Stud last weekend including the Golden Slipper-Hong Kong Derby double by his super sire Snitzel.

Marhoona gave Snitzel his third Golden Slipper after Estijaab (2018) and Shinzo (2023), before Cap Ferrat won the Hong Kong Derby on Sunday.

“Snitzel continues to do what he has done for more than 15 years, he is a remarkable stallion,’’ Messara said.

“To sire his third Golden Slipper winner and then the next day one of his sons wins the Hong Kong Derby just shows his versatility.’’

Originally published as Owner John Messara reveals 2025 The Championships plans for boom filly Autumn Glow