Shortly after Tempted's Surround Stakes (G1) win, her stablemate Observer parlayed the success for Ciaron Maher and Godolphin with his classy triumph in the Australian Guineas (G1) at Flemington Racecourse Feb. 28.
The versatile son of Ghaiyyath claimed the VRC Derby (G1) last November and resumed in February with a win over the reopposing Planet Red in the Autumn Stakes (G2) at Caulfield.
As such, he was sent out the favorite to double his group 1 tally on Saturday, and settled third from barrier six under Ethan Brown. He was eased onto the rail approaching the home turn, and gained a run up the fence upon straightening.
The colt surged through and put his head down to assert late, scoring by a half-length over Planet Red, who charged home for second, finishing 0.2 lengths ahead of a game Sixties.
"I'm sure the punters were thinking, 'What's going on here?'" Brown said of his decision to hug the fence. "But the main thing with him is getting him to relax and settle. That meant riding him cool and patient.
"From there, the track was fair; we stuck to the fence, and he did the rest. He's a superstar."
Maher's assistant trainer, Jack Turnbull, paid tribute to the winning rider and said the win carried extra meaning for the stable after Brown's serious fall in the race three years ago.
"He's a big part of our team," Turnbull said. "He rides work, trials, gallops—you can ring him anytime to talk through a horse. He's a special rider, and it's special we got the job done today."
Maher previously achieved the similar Derby/Guineas double with Hitotsu, and Turnbull drew comparisons between the pair.
"He's probably the closest thing we've likened to Hitotsu in terms of racing style," he said. "He's probably not as dynamic, but his ability to be winning a Derby and coming back to be a group 1 mile Guineas winner at his next preparation is hard to do. You don't often see it. It's a credit to the horse, and to Godolphin as an organization."
Saturday's success took Observer's record to five wins from nine starts with earnings just shy of AU$2.6 million. It opened multiple autumn options, including the Australian Cup (G1), Rosehill Guineas (G1), and Doncaster Mile (G1).
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Tempted Breaks Through at G1 level in Surround Stakes
Godolphin's top-class filly Tempted achieved a deserved first elite-level success at Randwick on Saturday, successfully stepping up in distance to claim the Surround Stakes in tough style.
The Maher-trained 3-year-old had already proven her ability over 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs) against the best, having finished third in the Golden Slipper (G1) behind Marhoona after defeating that filly the start prior, and also being the first local home in last October's Everest (G1) behind only the brilliant Ka Ying Rising.
She resumed with a dominant win against the colts in February's Eskimo Prince Stakes (G3) and was sent out a firm favorite to break through at the highest level against her own sex on Saturday, despite being winless at the 1400-meter (about 7-furlong) distance.
Once the barrier opened, Savvy Hallie rolled forward to dictate terms, with Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Ole Dancer positioned close at hand, while Chad Schofield allowed Tempted to find her rhythm midfield amid genuine early pressure.
Turning for home, Schofield had Tempted building smoothly through her gears, and she ranged up alongside Savvy Hallie before digging deep in a sustained duel, thrusting her head out on the line to prevail by 0.2 lengths. Ole Dancer held third another 1.7 lengths back.
A relieved Maher admitted his concern in the final stages and said the distance stretched the filly's limits.
"Chad knew what he had underneath him. I was actually thinking, 'God, get a little more desperate' halfway down the straight,'" the winning trainer said post-race.
"The 1400 meters is probably right at the top of her distance range, as we've seen. She's run second and now won at group 1 level, but you'd think she is more dynamic at 1200 meters."
With six wins and four placings from 11 starts, Tempted has now amassed more than AU$5.1 million in earnings.
Bred and raced by Godolphin, the Street Boss filly is the standout performer from four foals to race out of the group 2-winning Exceed And Excel mare Calliope, herself a sister to group 3 winner Zethus. Calliope is also the dam of dual Medaglia d'Oro's group 2 scorer Kallos and recent Talindert Stakes placegetter Zambales (Pinatubo) and descends from the family of VRC Oaks (G1) heroine Bulla Borghese.
In winning Saturday's race, Tempted became the 13th individual group 1 winner, and third this season, for Darley's flying sire Street Boss, following the exploits of Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) and Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (G1) winner Tentyris and Pericles's Futurity Stakes (G1) success last week.
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Autumn Glow a Perfect 10-for-10 After Verry Elleegant
Autumn Glow's remarkable rise gathered further momentum at Randwick on Saturday when the 4-year-old extended her flawless record to 10 with a controlled victory in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (G1).
The daughter of The Autumn Sun again showcased her versatility and tactical speed in the Soft 5 conditions, settling prominently from barrier 3 before asserting her authority when it mattered to lead home a quinella for Chris Waller.
The winner's stablemate, Lindermann rolled forward to control proceedings, with the resuming Sir Delius in second and Waller's ATC Derby (G1) winner Aeliana travelling strongly just behind them.
As the field straightened, Aeliana edged through along the inside and briefly looked testing, while Sir Delius built through his gears wider out. But once James McDonald called on Autumn Glow, the response was immediate.
She lengthened decisively at the 300 meters, putting a margin on her rivals before Aeliana rallied late to reduce the deficit to 0.4 lengths. Sir Delius held on for third, another 3.4 lengths behind in what was an encouraging first-up effort from the dual group 1 winner.
The mighty mare equaled the great Black Caviar's record of 10 straight wins from debut.
"She does everything right, simple as that," Waller said of Autumn Glow. "Wherever she draws, whatever the conditions, she puts herself in the race and makes it easy for herself.
"She's a different type to some of those good horses I've trained, when they get back and have your heart in your mouth. She's up on the speed. She puts herself there, so that's the difference."
McDonald said the star mare's temperament underpins her talent.
"She knows she's so good," the winning rider said. "She moves like a dream. She just breathes so well and is so push-button. She's got an incredible turn of foot. We weren't going to see the same performance we did first-up because of the ground. Even though it wasn't to her liking she was always going to win, even if I went another furlong."
Autumn Glow may be asked to go another 2 furlongs later in the campaign. The March 21 George Ryder Stakes (G1) at Rosehill shapes as her next assignment, with Waller leaving the door ajar for a potential rise to 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles)—possibly in April's Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) back at Randwick—should she continue to dominate at weight-for-age level.
The Doncaster Mile (G1) also remains in calculations, though the handicap conditions pose their own challenges.
"I'd love to try her at 2,000 meters, but she's got to be dominant in her next win to give us that ultimate satisfaction that she can run it, otherwise it's probably the Doncaster," Waller said.
Saturday's win marked Autumn Glow's second at group 1 level and lifted her earnings beyond AU$8 million.
Bred by Newhaven Park and initially selling for AU$600,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, she was the sale-topper at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, bringing AU$1.8 million when secured by Arrowfield Pastoral and Hermitage Thoroughbreds from Silverdale Farm's draft.
Out of South African champion sprinter Via Africa, she is one of two group 1 winners from three runners out of the mare.
Autumn Glow is one of five individual group 1 winners for Arrowfield Stud sire The Autumn Sun, whose influence continues to grow, much like his unbeaten daughter's reputation.
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