The three-year-old colt displayed his most impressive performance to date to win the Aus$2 million Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas in Australia today. After breaking smartly, he was caught three out wide but showed an impressive turn of foot coming into the straight to break clear and win by 4.5 lengths. “You’ve just seen what he is capable of and I don’t think he’s matured yet,” trainer Chris Waller said. “I’ve had experience with some nice colts and he’s as good as they get.”

His jockey James McDonald was also full of praise after the race: “He relaxes well and he’s got all the right attributes to be one of the best in Australia […] He jumped well, too well, and he wanted to get on with it so I elected to sit out and he’s got an explosive turn of foot. He’s a very, very good horse.”

The Autumn Sun who was unbeaten at two has now won five of his six races, including the Gr.1 JJ Atkins Stakes and the Gr.1 Golden Rose Stakes last month. He is the first colt in 15 years to have won both the Golden Rose and the Caulfield Guineas.

The Autumn Sun illustrates all the potential of the Aga Khan families. A son of Redoute’s Choice, he is out of the Galileo mare Azmiyna, a half-sister to European Champion and four-time Group 1 winner Azamour. Bred in partnership by Arrowfield and the Aga Khan Studs in Australia, he was selected by Mulcaster Bloodstock from Arrowfield’s 2017 Inglis Easter draft and purchased for Aus$700,000 by Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Chris Waller Racing.