Catch her if you can: Why Autumn Glow is a show you don’t want to miss

John Messara has worn many hats in racing but says he is a first and foremost a breeder.

And with that mindset, the Arrowfield Stud founder remains cautious about his superstar mare Autumn Glow stepping out past a mile for the first time on Saturday at Randwick in the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) when she attempts to stretch her perfect record to 12 wins.

The $1.8 million yearling buy for Messara and Hermitage Thoroughbreds is by Arrowfield’s The Autumn Sun, a winner eight times in nine starts which excelled at a mile with three group 1 victories. Her mother, Via Africa, was a champion in South Africa, winning 10 times, all at 1000m or 1200m, across 18 starts.

The premier trainer-jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald is confident Autumn Glow will shine again over further and advocated for a shot at the Queen Elizabeth over the Queen of the Turf (1600m) on Saturday, after bypassing last week’s Doncaster Mile.

The market agrees, keeping the three-time group 1 winner and earner of $8.1 million as a $1.40 (TAB) favourite all week.

Messara said he was “very pleased” they chose the Queen Elizabeth. Now he just hopes the best horse he has raced can go the distance.

“[Via Africa] was an out-and-out sprinter herself, and her first three generations have only won over 1200, so that’s the worry I have,” said Messara, a former Racing NSW and Racing Australia chairman who is now a key figure with the Australian Racing Industry Alliance.

“The Autumn Sun got up to 2000. He won the Rosehill Guineas [at his last start]. That was his longest race, and on a wet track, but he fought all the way up the straight to win.

“He was probably better over 1600, a bit like her, but she’s shown James and all of us so much that the feeling is, she’ll do it.

“She settles very well in her runs. James is very confident she will finish it off. The track’s going to be good, and she’s fitter than she’s ever been, so there are a lot of pluses.

“It’s the right time to try, and if she gets up in that, we know she’s capable of getting that ground, then we can think about races like the Cox Plate.

“She’s fit. She galloped the other day, and when she went past, you couldn’t hear her breathing, so it’ll be very interesting.

“I’m just as excited as the public because I honestly don’t know that she’ll get it, but I’ve got no reason to disbelieve James and Chris. The two of them are bullish about her getting the 2000m.

“It’ll put on a bit of a show for the public and racegoers and, if she’s good enough, she’ll win it.”

Autumn Glow, which earned applause and cheers as she returned from her breathtaking George Ryder Stakes (1500m) victory last start, has become Sydney racing’s headline act, but the show is here for a limited time.

Dubbed “mini-Winx”, Autumm Glow is putting racing in the spotlight with her electrifying performances and winning streak under Waller, the man who guided arguably Australia’s greatest to 33 consecutive victories and 25 group 1s.

That breeding focus of Messara, though, means Autumn Glow’s career will almost certainly remain “mini”, at least in longevity, when compared to the mighty mare.

Winx had 43 starts, winning 37 races and more than $26.4 million, and competed into her seven-year-old season.

Autumn Glow, which will go for a spell after Saturday, is on track to have maybe half as many starts before heading to the broodmare barn.

Many elite mares have had extended careers on the track only for their progeny to then fall short of expectations, and that remains front of mind for Messara.

He has indicated the four-year-old is unlikely to race much, if at all, beyond next season, which he hopes will include a trip to England in 2027 to win at the famed Royal Ascot carnival in June and add to her already precious broodmare value. He has also floated a potential US Breeders’ Cup campaign past that, in October.

Then the dream is to mate Autumn Glow with the world’s best sires and produce another elite stallion for Arrowfield’s roster, which last year lost four-time Australian champion Snitzel.

Messara said Autumn Glow would return in the spring and likely have “at least one or two races” in Melbourne.

As for a clash with star three-year-old and Doncaster Mile champion Sheza Alibi, he said: “At some stage they might meet. I think there might be something in the spring.

“Sheza Alibi’s was a brilliant performance last Saturday, but a low weight, 49 kilograms, and our horse would have had 56.5kg. But you can’t call it anything but outstanding.”