Chris Waller‘s immortal-in-the-making, Autumn Glow, is tipped to take the next step to etching her name into the Australian Racing history books when she chases her incredible 10th straight win in the Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 in Sydney on Saturday.

The 10-race Randwick weekend card is littered with key autumn races including a double-shot of elite level racing led by another star-studded edition of the Group 1 $1 million Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m).

Formerly the Chipping Norton, this year’s Verry Elleegant Stakes field may have attracted just nine final acceptors, but the depth of talent remains elite.

The one to beat dominating Verry Elleegant Stakes betting at a justifiably short quote of $1.35 through Ladbrokes.com.au is Waller’s undefeated The Autumn Sun mare Autumn Glow.

Flawless to date, the bonny four-year-old took her incredible record up to nine-from-nine fresh here a fortnight back when kicking off her autumn campaign with a stunning 2.66 length romp home in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes.

Leading an all-Waller trifecta fresh, she never looked tested when saluting as the odds-on favourite to make it five-from-five at the Randwick track where she’s looking to take her undefeated streak into double digits in the Verry Elleegant.

She was emphatic over the famous Randwick mile last prep overcoming the outside alley to easily account for her Epsom Handicap rivals and then added the $10 million Golden Eagle win to her CV to see out a super spring campaign.

Her Apollo demolition job put the writing on the wall for an equally impressive autumn to come, and she looks very hard to deny this weekend from a favourable barrier three draw with leading hoop James McDonald continuing associations.

Waller has absolutely dominated this event in recent history prepared 11 champions since the year 2000 including Via Sistina last year.

Autumn Glow is already earning comparisons to Via and the stable’s former superstar Winx but she’s not the only one in the mix for Waller in the Verry Elleegant field this year.

In fact, Waller is set to saddle-up seven of the nine runners with his other best backed runner being the rails-drawn Aeliana ($11) to be ridden by the flying Zac Lloyd.

It has been a while between drinks for the now four-year-old daughter of Castelvecchio whose latest turf triumph was a five-length demolition job in the ATC Derby as a filly last April.

While winless since, she’s been thereabouts against the best WFA gallopers the country has to offer up including her latest assignment when kicking off in the Apollo to cross second best to her star stablemate.

All eyes may have been on Autumn Glow in that key Verry Elleegant Stakes lead-up, but Aeliana was huge the closing stages in a promising return that she can build on here.

From the inside alley this weekend Lloyd is likely to take her back and wait for her to pounce late once more.

The key danger to Autumn Glow remaining undefeated come Saturday afternoon however comes from outside the Waller contingent with the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Sir Delius not without support in the markets at $6.50.

Craig Williams is booked to reunite with the Frankle entire who makes his much-anticipated return.

Williams partnered the French expat for back-to-back Group 1 wins last prep when Sir Delius completed the Underwood / Turnbull Stakes double defeating plenty of nice types to victory at Caulfield and HQ respectively.

Lightly raced for a rising six-year-old, this weekend sees Sir Delius have his 11th career start chasing win number seven.

He has been solid in his lead-up trials, boasts an excellent first-up record (4:2-2-0) and looms as a genuine chance to knock the mighty mare – who he faces off against for the first time – off her peg if he gets the right run.

The Joesph Pride-trained Ceolwulf ($12) and Waller’s always-honest six-year-old Lindermann ($16) shape-up as the other “most likely for the upset” Verry Elleegant Stakes contenders in 2026.

Chad Schofield is riding with a terrific touch of late and partners Tavistock five-year-old Ceolwulf from a gun gate two drawn second-up on Saturday.

An out-and-out miler with a 1600m record that speaks for itself (8:4-0-1), Ceolwulf got his autumn underway in the Apollo running just worse than midfield when sixth to the ace mare who he faces again this weekend.

While him turning the tables on Autumn Glow and closing the 4.96 length gap he was beaten by fresh looks unlikely, he’ll definitely appreciate the extra distance back up to his pet trip.

He gave weight away to her in the Epsom last year running sixth before atoning and showing his versatility on all going when saluting at his next two completing the interstate King Charles III Stakes – Champions Mile double on a Good (4) and Heavy (9) track respectively and must be respected.

While suggesting Linderman can or will beat his superstar stablemate Autumn Glow in the Verry Elleegant is brave to say the least, there is potential for this son of Lonhro to run Top 3 at a price.

At 15/1 at time of publish, he shapes-up as an underrated but super consistent chance for the exotics.

He beat Sir Delius in the Group 2 Chelmsford at the track and trip last September before going down a nostril flare to Fangirl in the 7 Stakes.

Lindermann then went on to close out his spring with impressive victories in the Hill Stakes and Craven Plate by a combined margin of around 4.5 lengths, which is no easy feat.

He wasn’t close when third fresh to Autumn Glow in the Apollo, but was also not disgraced either and he’s a very good horse second-up (8:4-1-2).

Fitter, he’s likely to set to pace with Nash Rawiller taking the reins, and him hanging on for a run in the money is out of the question.

The 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes is set to run as Randwick Race 8 at 4:40pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s Sydney program.

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