By Michael Wrona, International Racing Expert
Please note that Autumn Glow has been scratched from the Flight Stakes due to injury.
Undefeated filly Autumn Glow, a rising new star of Australian racing, can give champion jockey James McDonald his 100th Group 1 victory when she contests the Flight Stakes on a stellar Randwick card this Friday night. Keeneland winner Royal Patronage, looking to build on his surprise Australian debut win, is favorite for the G1 Epsom Handicap. The G2 Premiere Stakes is a red-hot race and critical prep for The Everest on October 18. The average win odds for all Australian races offered in North America across the past 12 months is +700 (7-1). First post for Friday night's 10-race program in Sydney is 10:05 Eastern / 7:05 Pacific, watch live on skyracingworld.com and FanDuel TV.
Autumn Glow debuted for trainer Chris Waller on August 16, in the first month of her 3-year-old season, beating males and winners in a style that stamped her a filly of high quality. The Easter Yearling Sale-topping AU$1.8 million purchase is by the Australian Champion 3-year-old Colt of the 2018-19 season, The Autumn Sun, who was trained by Waller to win eight of nine career starts – including five Group 1s. Autumn Glow's dam, Via Africa, collected three Group 1 trophies and was crowned South Africa's Champion Sprinter of 2013-14. Autumn Glow emphatically beat males again, when sent off favorite in a Group 3 race at just her second career start. Already labeled by Waller as "something special," the starlet defeated fillies on September 20 in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes, when ridden for the first time by James McDonald. "J-Mac" recently became just the third jockey in history to win six straight Sydney riding titles, and has raced towards a century of Group 1 wins. At a mere 32 years of age, the New Zealand-born superstar sits on the cusp of becoming only the fifth Australian or New Zealand rider with 100 Group 1 victories worldwide. Friday night's Group 1 debut of an unbeaten filly soaring to great heights in the Flight Stakes would be a perfect vehicle for the milestone.
"Royal Randwick" was an apt setting for the Australian debut of Royal Patronage, a multiple graded stakes winner in England who traveled to the U.S. and finished 5th in the G1 Belmont Derby of 2022. Remaining Stateside, he transferred to trainer Graham Motion and won a Keeneland allowance in April, 2023. Royal Patronage emerged from a 13-month layoff to win his Australian debut at 15-1, for the training partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, in the G2 Tramway Stakes at seven furlongs. His subsequent 3rd-place finish in a stakes race over Randwick's famous mile course was sufficient to earn Royal Patronage favoritism for Friday night's Epsom Handicap, at the same track and distance. Last year's exacta of Rediener and Kovalica, both trained by Chris Waller, the latter to be ridden by James McDonald - will prove formidable opponents. Ceolwulf commands great interest and respect, as a newly-turned 4-year-old who caused trainer Joe Pride to make an important decision after an excellent 2nd in the G3 Kingston Town Stakes at 1-/14 miles. Pride mused that he "could easily have gone to the Metropolitan with him (a Group 1 handicap at 1-1/2 miles, also on Friday night's card). "I thought the Epsom left more options open (for subsequent races) and I think he's quite sharp this campaign. I always thought he would develop into one of the best horses around. I'm in love with the horse, I think he's a star."
While options for Ceolwulf's campaign have caused Joe Pride to "think about it," his topline sprinter of that name is simply aiming for the same race he won last year: the world's richest on turf. Think About It contests Friday night's Premiere Stakes, sharing two things in common with his rival Giga Kick: both are past winners of The Everest and neither is guaranteed a start in the 2024 renewal on October 18. Think About It is winless in five starts since scoring, as favorite, in last year's The Everest. 2022 winner Giga Kick missed a year through injury. He was a satisfactory 5th when returning to action on September 6 in the G3 Concorde Stakes – when ridden for the first time by James McDonald. J-Mac subsequently rode Giga Kick in a "training race" and declared the horse had "taken great improvement from his 1st-up run. Giga Kick is ready to explode." McDonald, who also has the option of riding the Waller-trained Joliestar in The Everest, might have plenty to ponder after Friday night's Premiere. The fabulous mare Bella Nipotina is vying for Premiere Stakes favoritism with Giga Kick, while Think About It is likely to be third wagering choice.
Under The Everest's slot-holder format, four openings remain. The confirmed starters are Bella Nipotina, Joliestar, I Wish I Win, I Am Me, Stefi Magnetica, Sunshine In Paris, Storm Boy and Lady of Camelot.
The Randwick card will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV this Friday night (First Post: 10:05 p.m. ET / 7:05 p.m. PT) alongside cards from Doomben, Newcastle and Kalgoorlie. All races will be live-streamed in HD on the Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, FanDuel and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances, and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.
About Michael Wrona
A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael's vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.
