The Group 3 Winx Guineas is the winter carnival goal for Autumn King after the progressive colt banked his third career victory in the Highway Handicap at Scone.
The three-year-old has been competitive in stakes company at his past two starts, finishing fifth in both the South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick and Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Dropping back in grade on Saturday, Autumn King ($2.30 fav) overcame a 61kg impost to wear down Moon Sweeper ($11) in the shadows of the post and score.
Co-trainer Paul Messara confirmed the Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on July 4 was Autumn King’s goal, the same race stablemate Know Thyself finished third in in 2024 before going on to claim the Country Championships Final (1400m) and The Coast (1600m) the following year.
“Absolutely. That has been the long-term plan for him this prep, so we can have a race in between and sharpen him up, try him with them (ear muffs) off and see how he goes, then go up for the Winx Guineas,” Messara told Sky Racing.
“I like the way he hit the line.
“He is still learning his craft, the horse. He’s improving all the time.”
Autumn King gave jockey Aaron Bullock an early double after he took out the Midway Handicap (1700m) on Oakfield Saturn ($12), the hoop echoing Messara’s sentiment that Autumn King was still on the way up.
“He’s blessed with ability. He’s just still working his craft out. There was a lot more merit in that win than it looks,” Bullock said.
Bullock said he’d wanted to settle closer, but the horse got dragged back to midfield and did a good job to balance himself in the straight and chase down the eventual runner-up.
“To his credit, he had a fight on his hands, and he deserved that win because he was in for the fight,” he said.
