THE AUTUMN SUN is Shining Brightly at Arrowfield

28 Mar 24

In the wake of last weekend’s racing, which produced new Group winner Vibrant Sun & new stakes performer The Autumn Belle for THE AUTUMN SUN, it’s timely to review his early-stage stud career.

THE AUTUMN SUN at Arrowfield

Champion 3YO Colt THE AUTUMN SUN retired to Arrowfield Stud with expectations of greatness.

THE AUTUMN SUN in action

After all, he was effectively replacing his own sire, the legendary Redoute’s Choice, who died just 3 days after THE AUTUMN SUN’S fifth Group 1 victory and final race, the 2019 Rosehill Guineas.

The inevitable father-son comparison was never going to make it easy for THE AUTUMN SUN, yet he still managed to “match” Redoute’s Choice with two first-crop juvenile stakes winners, debut Group 3 winner Autumn Ballet and Listed winner Coco Sun, plus Group 1-placed Tulsi.

However, belief has always been that the classic influence of THE AUTUMN SUN’S dam sire Galileo and his deep Aga Khan family would prevail, with maturity and distance likely to reveal the full scope of his aptitude as a sire.

And that’s exactly what’s happening with THE AUTUMN SUN’S first-crop three-year-olds.

His record has built steadily this season with a further two (2) Group winners, Autumn Angel (Kewney Stakes at 1600m & Ethereal Stakes at 2000m) & Vibrant Sun in last Saturday’s 1600-metre Alexandra Stakes G3, plus Tutta La Vita (Group 1-placed in the Surround Stakes at 1400m & Flight Stakes at 1600m, and 4th in the Spring Champion S. G1), The Autumn Belle (a winner at 1741m and stakes-placed over 1600m) and Kosgei (stakes-placed at 2200m and 4th in the Victoria Derby G1.)

Noting that most of these performances have been in Sydney & Melbourne.

To understand the merit of this, it's necessary to compare “apples with apples”.

That is, compare the 3YO crop of The Autumn Sun verse the same 2020 foal crop of other successful stallions, most of whom also have older 4, 5 & 6 year-olds representing them as well.

Such a comparison of The Autumn Sun’s 2020 crop highlights his growing worth as a sire:

•   More Winners than Exceed And Excel, Written Tycoon and Justify.
•   More Stakes Performers than Pierro, So You Think and Trapeze Artist.
•   More Prizemoney than Deep Field, Toronado and Maurice.
•   A better Stakes Performers/Runners strike rate than Russian Revolution and Hellbent.

In fact, he is TOP 10 in every category, with a rising star as his progeny come into their own.

Already 25% of THE AUTUMN SUN’S first crop runners have competed at Stakes Grade and he has two (2) of the 10 runners in this Saturday’s Vinery Stud S. G1 - an indication of the talent his progeny exhibit and the potential they clearly have.

Another perspective, illuminating for both breeders & yearling buyers alike, is to compare THE AUTUMN SUN'S record with notable sires at the same stage of their stallion careers – that is, after their first 70 starters (Southern Hemisphere crops):

Arrowfield Stud’s superstar sire Snitzel at this same stage had just half the number of Stakes Winners compared to THE AUTUMN SUN, whilst fellow successful sire stablemate Not A Single Doubt didn’t post his first stakes winner until his first crop was about to turn four-year-olds!

The Autumn Sun is shining brightly, and still rising…

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

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 20 starts: 6 Wins, 4 placings and is a 4-time stakes-performer winning $570,500 to date.

HARD TO SAY

The next year we purchased Jason Awesome Tycoon who has had 4 starts: 1-0-2-1 and is ready to resume in the next few days 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.

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

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

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.