Craig Kerry
A few days after reaffirming her status as Australia’s best with victory over Sheza Alibi in the group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m), Autumn Glow was crowned champion racehorse of 2025-26 on a huge night for part-owners Arrowfield Stud.
As expected, Autumn Glow was a clear winner of the major prize at the Australian Racehorse of the Year awards on Thursday night at Royal Randwick.
The Chris Waller-trained star won three group 1s in 2025-26 as well as the $10 million Golden Eagle for four-year-olds, which has since been elevated to the top level. Her only loss in eight starts last season was a third to finish the campaign in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The judging panel of racing media, handicappers and form analysts gave Autumn Glow 110 votes, putting her ahead of Caulfield and Melbourne cups winner Half Yours (69), Doncaster champion Sheza Alibi (67), 2024-25 horse of the year Via Sistina (66) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes victor Sir Delius (65).
Autumn Glow also won the middle-distance category, polling 114 votes to beat Via Sistina (101) and Sir Delius (97).
A decision on whether Autumn Glow now heads towards the $20 million Everest (1200m) or mile targets is expected in the coming days.
Another progeny of Arrowfield sire The Autumn Sun, Autumn Boy, claimed the most hotly contested award, the champion three-year-old colt or gelding. The Caulfield and Rosehill Guineas winner earned 136 votes, edging out Tentyris by only six in a list of nominees with two group 1s wins for the season each.
Arrowfield’s Snitzel, which was euthanised in June 2025 at age 22, was named champion sire after his progeny earned $26 million last season. Snitzel had six individual group 1 winners – Fireball, Campione D’Italia, Lazzura, Marhoona, Transatlantic and Baraqiel – which was the most by any sire since Redoute’s Choice in 2005-06.
Another Waller stablemate, Joliestar, was named champion sprinter. The TJ Smith and Canterbury Stakes winner earned 142 votes to finish well clear of Godolphin pair Tempted (65) and Tentyris (52).
The Ciaron Maher-trained Tempted, which was second in the Everest, was also runner-up in the three-year-old fillies category, which two-time group 1 champion Sheza Alibi claimed 197 votes to 118.
Golden Slipper winner Guest House was champion two-year-old with 191 votes, ahead of Slipper runner-up and Blue Diamond Stakes winner Streisand (98).
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Half Yours was an easy choice as champion stayer, earning 195 votes. Next best was Aeliana on 122.
Waller received his 14th consecutive Bart Cummings Award as champion group 1 trainer after 22 elite wins, smashing his own Australian record of 19 and going past 200 in his career. He also won a 15th Bart Cummings Medal as part of the NSW awards at the same function. Waller gained 148 points, finishing ahead of jockeys James McDonald (91) and Zac Lloyd (79).
McDonald was also recognised for his record-breaking feats, taking out the Australian champion group 1 jockey title for the sixth successive year. The 34-year-old surpassed Malcolm Johnston’s 1979-80 Australian record of 16 group 1 wins in a season, going to 17 in a campaign in which he surged past Damien Oliver’s Australasian career benchmark of 129.
NSW Racehorse Owners award winners: Guest House (champion two-year-old); Sheza Alibi (champion three-year-old); Joliestar (champion sprinter); Autumn Glow (champion miler); Sir Delius (middle distance horse); Aeliana (champion stayer); Idle Flyer (queen of the autumn); Bianco Vilano (country champion horse); Changingoftheguard (provincial champion horse); Autumn Glow (champion horse of the year)
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