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Chris Waller‘s undefeated mare Autumn Glow will need to overcome barrier 14 of 14 to retain the flawless start to her career when she lines-up as the short favourite in the 2025 Epsom Handicap field at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Final acceptances for the three Group 1 Sydney features on the weekend are now out including those for the Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) which has drawn a high-quality field of 14 middle-distance starts.
Heading the latest Epsom Handicap odds at a current odds-on quote of $1.90 through Ladbrokes.com.au is The Autumn Sun four-year-old, Autumn Glow, chasing her sixth win on the trot.
The bonny four-year-old goes up to a mile for the first time after two excellent wins this prep when also under $2 in both the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) fresh on Heavy going and the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) last time out at Rosehill on September 13.
She was emphatic in the Theo Marks quickening well to run over the top of her rivals and salute by over two lengths in a performance that had Waller declaring her as “very, very good.”
“I think she might have almost given Kerrin (McEvoy) a fright how quickly she quickened up rounding the home turn,” Waller said after the win.
“She is just electric. Obviously, she is very versatile in terms of how to be ridden. She has got bags of speed.
“Her optimum distance range who knows. She is just very very good.”
Waller is also optimistic that she’ll easily see out the 1600m third-up on Saturday where she’ll carry 54.5kg with Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride.
Waller has trained five Epsom Handicap winners, most recently Rediener in 2023, and he bookends the markets this weekend also saddling up the rank outsider Lord Penman ($71).
Last year’s champion, Ceolwulf for Joe Pride, returns as the danger on the second line of betting at $8 looking to go back-to-back for the first time since Desert War (2004-05).
He carries the 58kg topweight for his title defence and jumps from gate nine with Chad Schofield aboard.
The five-year-old son of Tavistock completed the Epsom Handicap – King Charles III Stakes double over the Randwick mile last spring winning this event with 54kg from barrier 14.
He has had three runs this campaign for a trio of top four performances, the latest of which was a third behind Fangirl in the $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) on September 20.
The other horse at $8 for the win following the release of the field is Pericles, the Bjorn Baker trained Street Boss six-year-old allocated 57kg and drawn well in barrier five for jockey Josh Parr.
Last year’s Five Diamonds winner is second-up on Saturday following a successful return to claim the Group 2 Tramway Stakes here on September 6.
Happy Clapper (2017) was the latest galloper to win the Tramway Stakes – Epsom Handicap double.
Rounding out the single figure hopes in the Epsom Handicap betting markets at $9 is Willydoit for Ciaron Maher.
The Tarzino four-year-old is a NZ Derby winning Kiwi expat who is tipped to improve on his first run for Maher when eighth in the Tramway Stakes with excuses from barrier 15.
“We just took our medicine from the gate,” jockey Tommy Berry said after the horse’s run fresh.
“Love the way he ripped through the line. I think he might be on an Epsom path and he’s right up to that.”
He’s drawn for a better run on Saturday in gate two and drops right back in the weights from 58kg to just 53kg with Berry sticking with.
The 2025 Epsom Handicap is set to run as Randwick Race 8 at 4:10pm (AEST) on Saturday’s 10-race card.
| 4. Autumn Glow (12) J: Kerrin McEvoy54.5kg x1x11T: Chris Waller | ||
| 11. Fully Lit (7) J: Winona Costin50kg 55123T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 2. Pericles (4) J: Josh Parr57kg 845x1T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 10. Swiftfalcon (3) J: Alysha Collett50kg 24x66T: M, W & J Hawkes | ||
| 5. Pier (11) J: Ethan Brown53.5kg 231x3T: Darryn & Briar Weatherley | ||
| 1. Ceolwulf (8) J: Chad Schofield58kg 5x443T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 14. Lord Penman (9) J: Zac Lloyd50kg 91x27T: Chris Waller | ||
| 12. Verona Rose (2) J: Ben Thompson50kg 68x02T: Gary Portelli | ||
| 7. Encap (5) J: Reece Jones52kg 37x64T: Gary Portelli | ||
| 3. Yellow Brick (10) J: Andrew Mallyon55.5kg 02x47T: Tony & Maddysen Sears | ||
| 8. El Castello (1) J: Andrew Adkins51kg 115x4T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 9. Depth Of Character (6) J: Rachel King50kg 12x03T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
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