Undefeated filly Autumn Glow, a rising new star of Australian racing, can give champion jockey James McDonald his 100th Group 1 victory when she contests the Flight Stakes on a stellar Randwick card this Friday night.

Keeneland winner Royal Patronage, looking to build on his surprise Australian debut win, is favorite for the Epsom Handicap (G1). The Premiere Stakes (G2) is a red-hot race and critical prep for The Everest on Oct. 18.

The average win odds for all Australian races offered in North America across the past 12 months is +700 (7-1). First post for Friday night’s 10-race program in Sydney is 10:05 EDT, 7:05 PDT. Watch live on skyracingworld.com and FanDuel TV.  

Autumn Glow debuted for trainer Chris Waller on Aug. 16, in the first month of her 3-year-old season, beating males and winners in a style that stamped her a filly of high quality. The Easter Yearling Sale-topping AU$1.8 million purchase is by the Australian Champion 3-year-old Colt of the 2018-19 season, The Autumn Sun, who was trained by Waller to win eight of nine career starts, including five Group 1s.

Autumn Glow’s dam, Via Africa, collected three Group 1 trophies and was crowned South Africa’s Champion Sprinter of 2013-14. Autumn Glow emphatically beat males again, when sent off favorite in a Group 3 race at just her second career start. Already labeled by Waller as “something special,” the starlet defeated fillies Sept. 20 in the Tea Rose Stakes (G2), when ridden for the first time by James McDonald. “J-Mac” recently became just the third jockey in history to win six straight Sydney riding titles and has raced toward a century of Group 1 wins. At a mere 32 years of age, the New Zealand-born superstar sits on the cusp of becoming only the fifth Australian or New Zealand rider with 100 Group 1 victories worldwide. Friday night’s Group 1 debut of an unbeaten filly soaring to great heights in the Flight Stakes would be a perfect vehicle for the milestone. 

“Royal Randwick” was an apt setting for the Australian debut of Royal Patronage, a multiple graded stakes winner in England who traveled to the U.S. and finished fifth in the Belmont Derby (G1) of 2022. Remaining stateside, he transferred to trainer Graham Motion and won a Keeneland allowance in April, 2023.

Royal Patronage emerged from a 13-month layoff to win his Australian debut at 15-1 for the training partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in the Tramway Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs. His subsequent third-place finish in a stakes race over Randwick’s famous mile course was sufficient to earn Royal Patronage favoritism for Friday night’s Epsom Handicap at the same track and distance.

Last year’s exacta of Rediener and Kovalica, both trained by Chris Waller, the latter to be ridden by James McDonald, will prove formidable opponents. Ceolwulf commands great interest and respect, as a newly turned 4-year-old who caused trainer Joe Pride to make an important decision after an excellent second in the Kingston Town Stakes (G3) at 1 1/4 miles.

Pride mused that he “could easily have gone to the Metropolitan with him (a Group 1 handicap at 1-1/2 miles, also on Friday night’s card). I thought the Epsom left more options open (for subsequent races) and I think he’s quite sharp this campaign. I always thought he would develop into one of the best horses around. I’m in love with the horse, I think he’s a star.”

Although options for Ceolwulf’s campaign have caused Joe Pride to “think about it,” his topline sprinter of that name is simply aiming for the same race he won last year, the world’s richest on turf. Think About It contests Friday night’s Premiere Stakes, sharing two things in common with his rival Giga Kick. Both are past winners of The Everest, and neither is guaranteed a start in the 2024 renewal Oct. 18.

Think About It is winless in five starts since scoring, as favorite, in last year’s The Everest. 2022 winner Giga Kick missed a year through injury. He was a satisfactory fifth when returning to action Sept. 6 in the Concorde Stakes (G3), when ridden for the first time by James McDonald. J-Mac subsequently rode Giga Kick in a “training race” and declared the horse had “taken great improvement from his first-up run. Giga Kick is ready to explode.”

McDonald, who also has the option of riding the Waller-trained Joliestar in The Everest, might have plenty to ponder after Friday night’s Premiere. The fabulous mare Bella Nipotina is vying for Premiere Stakes favoritism with Giga Kick, and Think About It is likely to be third wagering choice.

Under The Everest’s slot-holder format, three openings remain. The confirmed starters are Bella Nipotina, Joliestar, I Wish I Win, I Am Me, Stefi Magnetica, Sunshine In Paris, Storm Boy, Giga Kick and Lady of Camelot.  

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael’s vast U.S. experience includes race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders’ Cup on the international simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.