After the devastating loss of Redoute’s Choice earlier this year, Arrowfield Stud are now readily awaiting the upcoming breeding season with the recently retired The Autumn Sun.
Produced and sold as a yearling by Arrowfield Stud, the five-time Group 1 winner has returned home to the famous nursery, going some way to filling the void left by his champion sire.
“The Autumn Sun is an example of colts we produce and sell that we ultimately buy back for many times the original sale price and stand at stud,” explained Arrowfield Chairman John Messara.
“The moment he got knocked down I was onto the buyers through his trainer Chris Waller to see if I could buy back a piece, there was such an involvement from Arrowfield that it was the probably the right place for him to go and stand at stud.
“He’s by Redoute’s Choice, arguably the best stallion that has been around for the last 15 to 20 years, who is a son of Danehill, who is arguably the best stallion that has ever been around this part of the world.
“His mother is by the best stallion maybe the world has seen, Galileo, if you just look at that side of it – it’s enough to make it a convincing story.”
According to Messara The Autumn Sun ticks every box: pedigree, physique and performance.
A Group 1 winner at two in the J.J. Atkins at Doomben, The Autumn Sun then added an enviable three-old-year record by winning Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes and Group 1 Caulfield Guineas in the spring, followed by the Rosehill/Randwick Guineas double in the Sydney autumn.
“His deeds on the racetrack provided a lot of highlights in a short period of time,” Messara added.
“Every race was an extraordinary performance; I think the Caulfield Guineas was probably a personal best.
“It was a very highly rated race that year and he won with such facility.
“Apart from his natural ability he has a good ticker and a good mind and plays for much when you are trying to breed racehorses.”
Since Arrowfield Stud’s announcement back in April, The Autumn Sun’s inclusion on the stallion roster has been a popular one for breeders but also proved an astute decision by Messara in a joint venture with Hermitage Thoroughbreds where expectations remain lofty.
“As soon as it was announced that we had purchased him we got countless interest in using him and buying shares in him,” he said.
“He could be the next Redoute’s Choice for us or the next Snitzel for us, I certainly put that within his ambit, I really think that is the job he is going to do for us, I think he will replace the old boy (Redoute’s Choice) because he is a horse of that quality.
“We are holding our breath waiting to see how the thing unfolds but it could be a company changer for us, I see this as a company changing investment.”
– racing.com
