Punters that took the short odds on The Autumn Sun in Saturday's Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick were heading to the bar when the son of Redoute's Choice stood the leaders up to 15 lengths halfway through the running, but the Chris Waller-trained colt is a winner.
In an agonising final 200 metres, The Autumn Sun clawed back the margin of the free-running Fundamentalist to earn a fourth win at the elite level.
With Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle, The Autumn Sun defeated Fundamentalist by a long-head, consigning the daughter of Not A Single Doubt to her fourth Group 1 placing.
Nakeeta Jane was a length back in third with the New Zealander Madison County a fast-finishing fourth. (images Steve Hart)
"What an effort by this colt," McEvoy said.
"He needed to be outstanding today and he was. He was brilliant. I knew my fellow was going to really finish strong and that's exactly what he did. He ate up the big spacious Randwick straight and really flew the last bit.
"I was on the back of J Mac and I thought 'I've got to get into it,' I was too far back. They were putting the race on solidly from the half mile. He was in a nice rhythm but at the 600m I thought 'far out I'm a long way off them.' At the 400m I asked him for a supreme effort and that's exactly what he gave me.
Winning trainer Chris Waller admitted he was a worried man in the run.
"If I didn't train Winx I wouldn't have believed that performance, but she probably desensitised the emotion of these big race wins," he said.
"Full credit to this horse. He's the next Australian star and I can only tell you how good he is. You're seeing it but he is a very, very good horse.
"I'll have a good night's sleep and work it out from there. I need to speak to the other owners. There are two owners to think of now. The exciting part about this horse is he's not mature yet. That is the next question you have to ask do you want an immature horse taking on the world or be around for a bit longer. It's a great thing to be thinking about."
The Autumn Sun advances his record to 7 wins and 1 third from 8 starts with earnings of $3,138,121.
Arrowfield purchased 50 per cent of The Autumn Sun before the Caulfield Guineas.
The son of Redoute's Choice was a $700,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Arrowfield draft for Hermitage Thoroughbreds/ Waller Racing.
From a famed Aga Khan family, The Autumn Sun is the second foal of the unraced Galileo mare Azmiyna (IRE), who is a half-sister to Azamour (Night Shift).
Honoured as the Champion Older Horse in Europe, England & Ireland in 2005, Azamour's 6 wins included the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes and Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Chris Waller and bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster also secured the Snitzel filly out of Azmiyna for $1.3 million at last year's Inglis Easter Sale.
Azmiyna (IRE) has a yearling colt by Not a Single Doubt that has been catalogued as Lot 369 at the Easter Yearling Sale.
After foaling a Snitzel filly last spring, Azmiyna (IRE) headed to Japan for a date with Deep Impact. From there she will return home to the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in Ireland.
JUST AMAZING - The Autumn Sun had to be brilliant to win the Randwick Guineas today ... And he was! pic.twitter.com/gy8L5E5Fh0
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 9, 2019
