Three weeks and one day ago, sir, season two Autumn sun there is no group 1 winner to his name and for some, the wait is becoming increasingly tense.
Now they seem to be falling like leaves from trees around this time of year.
By the end of 4 May, Arrowfield’s stallion had three, after his brilliant autumn was made even brighter with Coco Sunhis excellent win in Saturday’s South Australian Derby (G1) at Morphettville.
Bred by Tyreel Stud and purchased by trainers Tony, Calvin McEvoy and Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock for $250,000 (All figures AU$) at the 2022 Inglis Classic, Coco Sun came close to winning the title. leading light on April 27 when The Autumn Sun selected the trifecta seed in the tournament. Australian oak (G1).
As Tony McEvoy lamented to ANZ Bloodstock News on 3 May, for him it came “out of bloody order” as Brilliant sunshine beat Private heritage and Coco Sun finished third.
But while McEvoys’ runner found two other fillies better that day, it mattered little as she won on Saturday against fillies and geldings, becoming third female SA Derby winner in 16 years.
Coco Sun has not become the first female jockey to win the race since the 3-year-old Australian champion. Delicate won in 2015. With Coco Sun down to $5 by post time, that card instead went to VRC St Leger winner Chris Waller’s last start Ahuririwho advocated for a $4.80 start in female-dominated betting.
But Coco Sun still reigns supreme, with a one-quarter length victory over the $6 third favorite War monger completing Saturday’s treble of Group 1 winners for the Autumn Sun started with Autumn angel‘s Star Australian Oaks (G1) April 13.
In an all-homegrown contest, Coco Sun delivered the first race win for the South Australian-bred McEvoys and the first Group 1 home for the now-residing jockey Jamie Kah in Melbourne.
And Kah treated Coco Sun to an almost perfect trip, finding the fence from gate 8 to sit behind the long-range leader air attackvia justification . As that gelding rolled straight out of the fence, Coco Sun pushed doggedly on his insides and pulled away in the final three-quarters of a furlong, keeping plenty in reserve to challenge Warmonger’s blistering finish.
Air Assault maintained third place, ahead of the New Zealand raiders Antrim Coastwith Ahuriri Thursday.
The victory brought further satisfaction to Arrowfield boss John Messara’s long-held contention that the Autumn Suns, who have managed just two lower-level stakes winners in their first running season , will be the sire of 3-year-olds—especially those who are striving. towards classical distances—more than juveniles.
