‘You can see something special in her’ declared champion trainer Chris Waller after Autumn Glow demolished her rivals at Rosehill

Exciting filly Autumn Glow lived up to all the pre-race hype when she delivered a debut performance befitting her $1.8 million price tag at Rosehill Gardens.

Tyler Schiller guided Autumn Glow to an effortless debut win at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Boom filly Autumn Glow lived up to the pre-race hype with a sensational debut win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Trainer Chris Waller and owner John Messara, both Hall of Famers who have raced many topliners during their celebrated careers, wholly endorsed Autumn Glow’s obvious potential after her easy win in the Schweppes Handicap (1300m).

“You can see something special in her,” Waller said.

“We have not had her up to top speed at home, I swear on my life, but everything she has done has been very special.”

Messara, who was joined by his family including wife Kristine on track, said Autumn Glow had looked well above average at trackwork and barrier trials and was excited to see the three-year-old filly show that sort of form on raceday.

“We knew she was good, we have felt she was well above average for some time now so it’s a relief to see her win so well on debut,” Messara said.

“This was a tough race for her and people were asking why are you doing this but Chris felt she was good enough and he was right.”

Autumn Glow, confidently backed into $3.10, stalked the leaders into the straight before powering clear in the final 200m to win by a widening two-and-a-half lengths from Dawn Service ($2.40 favourite) with Iron Hawk ($17) nearly two lengths away third.

Star jockey Tyler Schiller said Autumn Glow “quickened up in the straight like a nice horse.”

“I didn’t have to go through all her gears. She had plenty left and is a very nice filly going forward,” Schiller said.

“At the 600m, I thought she would win. She was just flowing along, there was no pressure and she just had too good of a turn of foot for them.

“I never had to ask too much of her, she was too strong. “

Waller revealed Autumn Glow was ready to race as a two-year-old but he deliberately held her back as she “wasn’t anywhere near furnished”.

An absolutuely glowing win on debut to Autumn Glow at Rosehill! 🤩@[e-mail]/VANHE1rtD6

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 17, 2024

“I think she is still six to 12 months away, so it’s exciting going forward,” Waller said.

“We had her entered to race at Kensington last Wednesday but there was rain on the day and I just wanted to give her the best possible experience for her first start.

“So, we waited for Rosehill as the track here is one of the best in the world. It’s a good surface with lots of grass and you need horses to have a good experience, particularly with their first race start.

“She has had that today and is on the way to bigger and better things. I will look at how she has pulled up as we are respecting this is her first preparation and some horses can cope better than others, some can take the next step.

“We would love to get her to the Flight Stakes if we can - but only if we can.”

Autumn Glow is superbly bred by Arrowfield Stud’s boom stallion The Autumn Sun out of Via Africa, herself a champion sprinter in South Africa and the dam of 2021 Golden Rose winner In The Congo.

Messara, who raced the Waller-trained five-time Group 1 winner The Autumn Sun and now stands the horse at Arrowfield, said he took one look at the Newhaven Park-bred Autumn Glow as a yearling and was compelled to buy her.

An absolutuely glowing win on debut to Autumn Glow at Rosehill! 🤩@[e-mail]/VANHE1rtD6

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 17, 2024

But Messara revealed the $1.8 million bid he needed to secure the sale-topper at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale is the most he has ever paid for a yearling.

“She looked a princess at the sales and she might end up being a queen at the races,” Messara said.

“As a yearling, she was magnificent, she just stood out and I thought we have to have her.

“I told the Hermitage people in Hong Kong who owned half of The Autumn Sun with us that I had found a very good filly and asked them if they want to come into her with us although it was going to cost a bit of money. They were very keen to buy into the filly.

“I’ve never paid $1.8 million for a yearling before, that’s how much we thought of her.”

Messara said he will be guided by Waller about where Autumn Glow might race during the spring carnival.

“Chris wants to see how she pulls up but the Flight Stakes does look the goal although we are mindful this is her first preparation.

“If she can win a Group 1 this spring then it underpins her value and then we can look at the autumn.”

Originally published as ‘You can see something special in her’ declared champion trainer Chris Waller after Autumn Glow demolished her rivals at Rosehill