Racing NSW handicappers have unbeaten star Autumn Glow rated better than Winx at the same stage of her career as she looks for her first Group 1 in the Epsom Handicap.
Autumn Glow’s rating was pushed to 111 after her arrogant Theo Marks Stakes win on the weekend, which is a point higher than the rating of the legendary Winx had when she won the Epsom in 2015.
Autumn Glow was given 54.5kg when weights were released on Monday, opening the chance of James McDonald wasting to ride her in the spring mile.
It is 1-1/2 kilograms more than Winx was given in the original Epsom weights in 2015.
So, compared to history Autumn Glow is harshly dealt with, albeit she comes from an outstanding group of four-year-old mares.
Dual Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment, who won the Memsie Stakes first-up, was given a ridiculous 56.5kg in the Epsom but is unlikely to tested down handicap conditions.
Winx was at the beginning of her incredible 33-race winning run as a four-year-old in the Epsom and was a Group 1 winner from the Queensland Oaks and had runner-up finishes in the Flight Stakes and Australian Oaks.
Autumn Glow has yet to grace the Group 1 stage but has beaten the older horses in the Toy Show Quality and Theo Marks, the race Winx used as her lead-up to Epsom.
Winx was asked to carry 57kg on Epsom day as the weights were raised by four kilograms and overcome a bumping duel on the home turn to get her second Group 1 as a $3 favourite.
The weight hasn’t stopped Autumn Glow being at the top of Epsom betting as the $1.90 favourite with a decision to be made if it will be Kerrin McEvoy or McDonald in the next couple of days by the Chris Waller stable.
Since Winx, there have been six four-year-old Epsom winners in the past decade with five of them coming since the Golden Eagle was introduced in 2019, when Kolding, only had 50.5kg in the Epsom did the double.
The last great group of mares was in 2020 when Probabeel edged out Funstar in a photo in the Epsom. Both were Group 1 winners but were only asked to carry 52.5kg off 107 rating.
This century, the only other mare to win the Epsom was Secret Admirer, who had 52.5kg as Group 1 wnner from the Flight Stakes.
So mares that win the Epsom are exceptional, Winx is uncomparable, Probabeel was four-time Group 1 winner, twice at weight-for-age.
There has only been one odds-on favourite to win the Epsom this century, champion miler Racing To Win at $1.70, which Autumn Glow might eclipse come the first Saturday in October.
She might be the most exciting horse in Australian racing in 2025 but victory in the Epsom will prove Autumn Glow a generational talent.
