The state of the Rosehill track will determine whether both start, but a pair of Chris Waller-trained three-year-olds who were among last year’s benchmark yearlings could clash this Saturday.
Autumn Glow and Imperial Force, the highest-priced filly and colt from last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, are acceptors for the $160,000 Schweppes Handicap (1300m) that kicks off the card.
It is the second race Waller has accepted for this week with Autumn Glow, who was scratched from Wednesday’s Kensington meeting, and is posed to make her long-awaited debut after topping the Easter Sale at $1.8 million.
A daughter of The Autumn Sun and Via Africa, which makes her a three-quarter-sister to Golden Rose winner In The Congo, Autumn Glow won a trial in March but was put away and has trialled twice this time in, including victory in a 900m hitout at Rosehill on July 23.
“She is a really nice filly, she has shown that in each of her trials,” Waller said.
“It is pretty ambitious taking on a Saturday race first time, but she was ready to race last prep and I decided, ‘no, I’ll give you a bit more time’.
“I’m thinking that because she was ready to race last prep and we gave her a spell, she will be able to cope with a tough first-up run.”
Along with In The Congo, Via Africa – a multiple Group 1 winner in South Africa – has produced Pleasant Endeavour, a son of Redoute’s Choice who won six races in Hong Kong.
Autumn Glow claimed Inglis Easter top honours from the half-sister to Learning To Fly, who sold for $1.75m and has since been named Pretty, while the third highest-priced lot of the sale was $1.6m colt Imperial Force.
By Snitzel out of the Gold Fever mare Ultimate Fever, Imperial Force ran second on debut and won at start No 2, which were both on Good tracks, before finishing midfield at Newcastle on a Heavy 9 track at his most recent outing.
Waller has Imperial Force entered to trial over 1050m at Randwick on Friday in case Rosehill looks like being wetter than he’d prefer.
“He’s just had the one trial, it’s only a small field and it’s early in the day so we will see what happens, but he wouldn’t be running on a really wet track,” he said.
Autumn Glow, who drew barrier five with Tyler Schiller to ride, holds down the second line of betting with Imperial Force (barrier six, Jason Collett) sharing the fourth line with Getafix.
Favourite is another seven-figure yearling, Dawn Service, the first foal from three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight, who is coming off a four-length Hawkesbury maiden win.