Kerrin McEvoy, who was warming the saddle for race day jockey James McDonald, has given his approval to Autumn Glow as she heads towards her main campaign objective, the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick.
With McDonald’s commitments at Caulfield for the Guineas meeting, McEvoy partnered the mare in a 1000m solo exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill and came away satisfied with her condition.
“Lovely. She’s got a great attitude, which we know,” McEvoy commented. “She’s a pleasure to deal with, and she put forward some nice work, so she’s in good form.”
Autumn Glow was kept under a firm rein during the gallop, covering the 1000m in 1:05.99, with her final 600m sectional recorded at 36.18 seconds.
This was her first public outing since adding the Seven Sunrise Stakes (1600m) to her resume, following her initial win in the Winx Stakes (1400m). Trainer Chris Waller’s assistant, Charlie Duckworth, mentioned that they opted for the track gallop instead of a barrier trial.
The stable is confident about the five-year-old mare competing in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) with a month between runs, citing her natural athleticism. They also confirmed the $5 million Everest day feature has been a long-range goal.
“She moved well, pulled up clean in the wind, so she ticked every box we wanted ticked,” Duckworth stated. “In terms of holding her fitness levels, those elite horses do tend to hold their fitness a bit easier than others because of their natural aerobic capacity. This is the main race that has been targeted for the preparation, so we haven’t left a stone unturned. Fingers crossed we can get a nice draw, and it sets up nicely for us.”
Duckworth indicated that the stable is unlikely to have another runner in the King Charles Stakes, unless nominations are light. Autumn Glow is expected to have one final fast piece of work this week to finalise her preparation for Saturday’s race, where she will face the reigning King Charles titleholder Ceolwulf and the prominent frontrunner Pride Of Jenni. Pride Of Jenni’s inclusion was a recent development, as the race was not initially on her spring schedule.
Checking out the racing odds for the King Charles III Stakes? Visit racing betting markets for the latest information.