Saturday’s magnificent $1 million Australasian Oaks 2000m Gr1 trifecta by THE AUTUMN SUN's daughters Vibrant Sun, Private Legacy & Coco Sun sparked celebrations well beyond the Morphettville track in Adelaide.
Arrowfield Stud’s John & Paul Messara and their team in Sydney & Scone are justifiably proud of their home-bred superstar colt, now the sire of two Group 1 Oaks winners in a fortnight and now 6 Group 1 performers from his first crop.
A search through race records confirms the rarity of Oaks, Guineas or Derby trifectas by a single stallion in Australian & New Zealand history with only two found in the past 40 years: the 1986 New Zealand Oaks G1 (by Sir Tristram’s daughters Royal Heights, Empire Rose & Eau d’Etoile) and the 2010 Australian Derby G1 (by High Chaparral’s sons Shoot Out, Descarado & Monaco Consul).
Sir Tristram and High Chaparral are two of the greatest Classic sires ever to stand in Australasia.
Michael Kent Jnr, who prepares Vibrant Sun with Mick Price, summarised the quality of the filly’s performance. “Third-up, 2000 metres, straight to the front, it was a huge win. She missed a run in the Auraria Stakes when she had a little setback, so it’s a massive job by the whole team at home. She was there to be beaten. It was a huge effort. Awesome result for everybody.”
A last-start Group 3 winner on 23 March, Vibrant Sun took up the early running in the Oaks and set a solid pace, with New Zealand Oaks G1 winner Pulchritudinous and Coco Sun in close attendance.
Rounding the turn, Vibrant Sun clearly had plenty in hand and she extended strongly for Mark Zahra, as Coco Sun rallied to threaten in the final 150 metres, and Private Legacy wound up to produce the fastest final 200 metres. Only the smallest of margins separated the three fillies in a dramatic finish, with the favourite, the Tasmanian Oaks winner Wings Of Song 4th and Pulchritudinous 5th.
The fillies behind them included the New Zealand Oaks placegetters Positivity & Qali Al Farrasha, Group winners Serasana & Queen Of Dragons, Listed winner Quickster and another promising filly by The Autumn Sun, The Autumn Belle whose rider Beau Mertens said, “Good run. Wide barrier and had to go back. She picked her way through and ran a good race.”
Vibrant Sun is the second foal of Group 3 and multiple city winner Vibrant Rouge (by Written Tycoon). She was purchased for $260,000 by the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr stable.
Bred in partnership by Arrowfield & Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Private Legacy (ex Private Secretary by Husson) was a $90,000 purchase by her trainer Greg Hickman from Arrowfield’s Magic Millions National draft. She raced commendably in the NSW Princess Series last Spring and has made good progress this Autumn over 1600 and 2000 metres.
Jockey Craig Williams said of Private Legacy, “Very game in defeat. It was a super run. We were trying to manage her first time under pressure going left-handed today…Great run.”
Coco Sun (ex Miss Hufflepuff by Encosta de Lago), a $250,000 buy from Inglis Classic draft by trainer Tony & Calvin McEvoy won both her 2YO starts including the Oaklands S. LR, and as a Spring 3YO was 5th in both the Wakeful S. G2 & VRC Oaks G1. She resumed in March to score over 1400m at Sandown, then over 1600m at Bendigo before her return to Adelaide for the Oaks. She and The Autumn Belle are nominated for next Saturday’s South Australian Derby G1.
Miss Hufflepuff - Dynamic Dam of Coco Sun
Dynamic Syndications purchased Miss Hufflepuff (Dam of Coco Sun) as a yearling and raced her with success claiming 3 wins including a win on the Kenso track and at Newcastle and Kembla before selling her on retirement as a breeding prospect.
Coco Sun’s rider Jamie Kah said, “She loved the trip and even further is going to suit her down to the ground.”
The Australasian Oaks result added almost $800,000 to The Autumn Sun’s season earnings, propelling him into third spot on the Australian Second Season Sires’ table with $4.5 million prizemoney and three winners of six Group races in three States: Autumn Angel (Australian Oaks G1, Kewney S. G2, Ethereal S. G3), Vibrant Sun (Australasian Oaks G1, Alexandra S. G3) & Autumn Ballet (Silver Shadow S. G2).
The Autumn Sun (7th) also joins his Arrowfield barn-mates Dundeel (1st) & Snitzel (4th) among the Top 10 3YO Sires.
Team Dynamic have been bullish on the sire from the start but knew with him that with a little patience owners would be rewarded.
It’s no coincidence as to why Dynamic Syndications purchased a superb colt by THE AUTUMN SUN at the 2024 Magic Millions Sales.
Our Colt at the sales
He was a colossal colt by the super young sire from the 1200m winning mare
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GRAVITY ZERO a daughter of champion sire More Than Ready.
Firstly, it is vital that our owners and followers are aware of the highest regard we have for our (nearly private) trainer based at Newcastle – JASON DEAMER.
Dynamic JASON DEAMER
Jason only has 12 boxes to train from. That is by choice. Jason feels that a dozen is a comfortable level for him to give the full attention to detail to each horse in his care. 11 of the 12 are filled by our Dynamic Syndications horses. Jason’s horsemanship is exceptional, and he rides our horses trackwork each day.
So, this year we went to the sales to buy for Jason to train, the nicest colt we could find to be a 3yo and 4yo type sprinter/miler, knowing under Jason’s care, the longevity of such a horse would be increased giving extended racing/prizemoney opportunities.
Jason does a fantastic job with our horses and most of those he trains for us have hit the glass ceiling elsewhere before arriving at Newcastle.
We wanted to give Jason a yearling that hadn’t been elsewhere that he can mould and polish into something special.
He has only been given that opportunity a couple of times previously and one of those is HARD TO SAY a $160,000 Magic Millions purchase who has a career record of 21 starts: 7 Wins, 4 placings and is a 4-time stakes-performer winning $653,000 to date.
HARD TO SAY was back in the winners circle of Saturday at Rosehill when setting a new class record.
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HARD TO SAY
The next year we purchased Jason Awesome Tycoon who has had 5 starts: 2-0-2-1 and won recently resuming after a spell.
AWESOME TYCOON
After our due diligence work on the catalogue’s pedigree ratings, knowing which crosses are successful and what to avoid, then after three rounds of physical inspections, then vet inspection, x-rays, and endoscopic evaluations, we desired a particular colt to aim at in the Arrowfield Stud draft by their super sire THE AUTUMN SUN.
OUR Yearling COLT after purchase
It was Lot 729 being offered for sale under a Joint Venture foal share arrangement. They were only placing a very modest reserve on the colt because it was a foal share arrangement, and they needed the horse to be sold.
Bred on a cross that was rated A+++ and with a Quality factor of Q7, this rating was the Equal Top 3rd Rating Score in the whole catalogue. Of further importance to Team Dynamic, it was the Highest Rated Yearling in the whole Arrowfield Stud draft.
So, we knew we were buying the Best from the Best. The Best on genetic breeding, from arguably the Best nursery in the industry.
The Rated Cross is REDOUTE’S CHOICE (Sire of THE AUTUMN SUN) over daughters of MORE THAN READY.
This is a phenomenal working cross. It has produced 24 Stakes Winners already!
69 runners: 53 Winners (77%) and 23% Stakes Horses : Winners!
Whilst DANEHILL (Sire of Redoute’s Choice over daughters of More Than Ready) has 48 Stakes Winners.
However, despite all the ticks lining up as far as the breeder, and the genetics passing scrutiny, that is still only the minority aspects. The most important aspect is the individual. It’s here that this colt sold himself.
Team Dynamic and our veterinarian Dr Tim Roberts rated him a score of 8+. That was the equal highest rating we gave a yearling at the sale.
So, he had the type, was clean on x-rays and scope plus has the “bells and whistles” genetics.
Knowing we had the product and then the realistic reserve because it was a joint venture foal share, we believed we were in for the fight.
We had valued the colt significantly higher than the reserve. He was a at least a multiple of 3 times service fee of $60,000 + GST placing him at $180,000 + one bid up to $200,000. However, with a reserve set at $80,000 when the gavel fell it was our bid at $90,000 + GST (1.5 times Service Fee) that was the winning bid.
We had our eye on this fella from the start !
This was one of the true saleyard gifts.
At Bimbadeen Park 17 January after arriving from sales
At Bimbadeen Park 17 January after arriving from sales
He was a colt that had fallen through the net, and we were there to catch him.
Lot 729 - The Autumn Sun x Gravity Zero from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
Lot 729 - The Autumn Sun x Gravity Zero colt - Auction Video from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
Since then, the sire THE AUTUMN SUN has continued to flourish.
And now ..... He's a Gr1 Winner Producing Sire!
Pictorial of the progression of our colt:
29 January before heading out to the paddock
In the paddock 7 February (left) with his mate Fastnet Rock x Tantalus (right)
At play in the paddock 7 February
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Leading the way ! (Middle) Fastnet Rock x Tantalus & (left) Bivouac x Houston Benefactor
Breaking-In 13 March
First Ride 14 March with Shane Rose in the saddle
First Ride 14 March with Shane Rose in the saddle
First Ride 14 March with Shane Rose in the saddle
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Under Saddle 18 March
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Under Saddle 18 March
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Under Saddle 18 March
In paddock 27 March
We have a full website about this Colt with 5% Shares at $9,460 inc GST and All Costs to 1/7/24.
We invite our owners and followers to be involved with the Jason Deamer stable in this colossal colt.
Fiona Watt, Dean Watt, Zac Lloyd, Jason Deamer, Adam Watt
Contact Adam Watt on 02 9540 1511 or 0409 464 378 and have a chat.