The Autumn Sun Shines Bright

[Wandering Eyes]

Olly Koolman of Hermitage went to last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale looking for a Derby winner, and regardless of whether the horse he eventually took him reaches those lofty heights, Koolman now has a valuable stallion prospect on his hands with an unbeaten 2-year-old Group 1-winning son of Redoute’s Choice (Aus) after The Autumn Sun (Aus) won Saturday’s G1 JJ Atkins S.

“We went with the plan to buy a Derby winner,” Koolman said.

“Guy Mulcaster identified him and had him on a shortlist. He was one of the first through the ring on that list and we bought confidently with him. He’s now a 2-year-old Group 1 winning son of Redoute’s Choice, so I’m not sure if we get to a Derby with him with other factors at play, but he’s a very exciting horse.”

The price tag on The Autumn Sun was A$700,000, and while Waller and Mulcaster had to extend to A$1.3-million for the colt’s three-quarter sister by Snitzel (Aus) at this year’s Easter sale, that inflation now looks warranted. A first-out maiden winner going 1200 metres on Apr. 25, he followed up a month later upped to 1400 and made a further smooth transition to hand trainer Chris Waller the quinella on Saturday. The Autumn Sun and stablemate Zousain (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) came running late from further back in the stretch to pick up the pieces late, with the 3-1 The Autumn Sun prevailing over his 5-1 stablemate.

“I was questioning whether at only his third start he was ready, only certain horses can take that step so quickly,” Waller told Racenet.com.au. “Early in the day I was thinking about everything that could go wrong. The winner was only at his third race start, just to see him dig so deep showed how smart he is. The class of the winner and of the runner-up will be seen in their future lives.”

“Both of them will have a break and be aimed towards big Group 1 races in the spring, with Zousain kept for shorter distances perhaps, and The Autumn Son looks a Caulfield Guineas horse,” Waller added.

Pedigree Notes…

The Autumn Sun, who represents the longstanding Arrowfield Stud/Aga Khan Studs partnership, is the second foal out of the unraced Galileo (Ire) mare Azmiyna (Ire), who is a half-sister to European champion and four-time Group 1 winner Azamour (Ire) (Night Shift) and G2 Futurity S. winner Arazan (Ire) (Anabaa). As could be expected of an Aga Khan family, quality in the pedigree runs deep; the third dam, Anaza (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), produced the G1 Prix Ganay victor Astarabad (Ire) (Alleged). Azmiyna’s next produce is a colt foal by Not A Single Doubt (Aus).

The Autumn Sun becomes the 33rd Group 1 winner for his three-time champion sire Redoute’s Choice, with nine of those Group 1 winners accomplishing the feat at two. Redoute’s Choice appears in the immediate pedigree of each of the JJ Atkins top three: he is the broodmare sire of Zoustar, and the sire of third-placed Fundamentalist (Aus)’s sire Not A Single Doubt (Aus). Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree.

Saturday, Doomben, Australia
JJ ATKINS S.-G1, A$611,386, BRC, 6-9, 2yo, Open Set Weight, 1600mT, 1:38.89, Heavy.
1–THE AUTUMN SUN, 57.0, c, 2, by Redoute’s Choice
1st Dam: Azmiyna (IRE), by Galileo (IRE)
2nd Dam: Asmara (USA), by Lear Fan (USA)
3rd Dam: Anaza (IRE), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (A$700,000 Ylg 2017 WI Sydney Easter
Yearling Sale) O-Hermitage (Mgr: O A Koolman); B-Arrowfield
Group Pty Ltd NSW; T-C J Waller; J-K Mc Evoy; A$377,386.
Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, A$491,971. Werk Nick Rating: B.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Zousain, 57.0, c, 2, Zoustar–Pasar Silbano (IRE), by Elnadim
(USA). O-Qatar Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr: D Redvers), J M Simmons,
Ms S M Fitzgerald, M Phillips, Mrs L Phillips, Wheninrome6
(Mgr: R J McEvoy), Three Hooks Seafood (Mgr: F Giuffre), G W
Evers Pt; B-Mr R Pegum NSW; T-C J Waller; J-J B Mc Donald;
A$123,000.
3–Fundamentalist, 55.0, f, 2, Not a Single Doubt–Centafaith, by
Keep the Faith. O-Aquis Farm (Mgr: Miss K A Fogden),
Teahouse (Mgr: W K Heritage), T J Renfrey, Baringo (Mgr: B J
Barwick) & Mermen (Mgr: M L Lacy); B-Balance
Thoroughbreds Pty Limited NSW; T-D & B Hayes & T Dabernig;
J-Craig Williams; A$63,000.
Margins: 0.3 len, 1.8 len, 2.1 len. Odds: 3.00, 5.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Sesar, Home Ground, Grim Reaper, Plumaro, Miss Sara, Sizzling Ace, Boomsara, Lean Mean Machine, Peppi la Few, Champagne Garden, Home Made. Click for the Racing Post result.

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