Chris Waller says he has unfinished business when it comes to star colt Autumn Boy, who will be given the opportunity to achieve what his sire, The Autumn Sun, didn’t.
Also trained by Waller, The Autumn Sun raced nine times for eight wins before his residual value dictated he be retired at the end of his three-year-old season to stand at owner John Messara’s Arrowfield Stud.
Waller is adamant The Autumn Sun could have reached even greater heights as an older horse, and while he didn’t get that opportunity, Autumn Boy will.
“The Autumn Sun – and I think Mr Messara would agree – would have been even better at four, but his value was so high he had to be retired,” Waller said.
“He won five Group One races and only raced for twelve months. When I (first) saw him at the farm, I said, ‘Wow. Imagine if he was in work now’.
“We’ve got that opportunity with Autumn Boy. He’s racing on at four and I’m excited about that.
“There is unfinished business with what we didn’t quite see with The Autumn Sun. He might have pressed Winx in a Cox Plate.”
Autumn Boy has been well managed to date, his four wins highlighted by Group 1 triumphs in the Caulfield and Rosehill Guineas, two races his sire also claimed in 2018-19.
He’s had one quiet barrier trial and is slated to have another, with the Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 22 among the races being considered as a spring launch pad.
“He’s come back amazing,” Waller said.
“Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself because we haven’t really tested him, but everything we have asked him to do, he’s done it well.
“His attitude is fantastic. You hear me talk about attitudes a lot and that’s the difference with a (good) colt is their attitude.”
Autumn Boy hasn’t raced since beating all but Sheza Alibi in the Doncaster Mile (1600m) and is prominent in early markets for several spring features including the Epsom Handicap (1600m), for which he’s an $8 chance, and the Golden Eagle (1500m) where he’s on the fourth line of betting at $11.
