Autumn Glow ready to shine in The Golden Eagle 2025

Chris Waller will rely on his unbeaten mare Autumn Glow to deliver another feature race victory when she lines up in the Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick this Saturday, with stablemate Lord Penman the only other runner from his powerful yard confirmed for the $10 million contest.

The champion trainer had eight nominations for the race but confirmed that Lady Shenandoah and Angel Capital will take different paths — Lady Shenandoah tackling the Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) and Angel Capital heading to Melbourne for the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) on November 15.

Autumn Glow is unbeaten in seven career starts and last raced when taking out the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 4. She has since been kept fresh with a 1050m barrier trial on October 20, finishing fourth under a quiet ride.

Waller said his decision-making was influenced by patterns from previous editions of the Golden Eagle, which typically favour horses that have raced over a mile in the lead-up. “All three could run in the Golden Eagle, but I’ve just found that when they have been on that sprinting campaign, it’s a bit hard to jack them up straight to that 1500 metres,” he said. “We went through the stats of the Golden Eagle, and most horses had been running over the mile that have won it. In that regard it suits Autumn Glow coming back from the Epsom and she’s done a great job.”

Lady Shenandoah and Angel Capital both contested The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 20, finishing sixth and seventh respectively. Lord Penman, meanwhile, came through the Silver Eagle (1300m) in good order after placing second following his Epsom run.

Autumn Glow will reunite with James McDonald, who has partnered her to three wins previously. McDonald missed her last two starts while riding in Melbourne but has chosen to stay in Sydney this weekend. Waller quipped, “It’s not ideal, and we’ll miss him down at Flemington, but she’s his baby and there’s other support races as well,” joking that McDonald’s wife, Katelyn Mallyon, may have had a say in the decision.

As for Angel Capital, Waller remains confident the Orr Stakes will suit. “I’m not a fan of it (Orr Stakes) being so late especially if you’re trying to get a horse like him back for the Newmarket in the autumn,” he said. “Up and back, up and back, it’s not what we really like doing, but at least he’s got time, four weeks between runs, and we’ll probably give him a trial down here before he runs too.”

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