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By Ray Hickson

Champion trainer Chris Waller has always felt a degree of pressure and expectation when it comes to boom filly Autumn Glow so a Group 1 win in her first preparation would be special.

Trainer Chris Waller (Pic: Grant Guy)

And that’s a word he’s already used to describe the $1.8 million purchase – he did that back in mid-August when she won on debut.

Two more wins later, including a dominant performance in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes two weeks ago, and Waller said if he did jump the gun she’s more than raced herself into that description.

“There was a bit of pressure so I guess we were caught up in the moment and used some special words because she is, she is a gifted horse and she has got an amazing demeanour,’’ Waller said.

“She’s good looking, good athleticism, great temperament and has lots of ability.

“She just walks like a proper athlete. She’s got tactical speed as well.”

Autumn Glow is one of four fillies in the Group 1 $750,000 Darley Flight Stakes (1600m) from the Waller camp but she looms large as the $1.60 favourite on Tuesday after drawing three in a nine horse field.

With jockey James McDonald sitting on 99 career Group 1 wins, following Broadsiding’s Golden Rose, he’s staring at a milestone on Autumn Glow.

Waller said it was McDonald that masterminded putting the filly right on the speed in the Tea Rose and it means that’s another weapon to go with her exceptional natural talent.

“Going forward and sitting up on the pace showed a new dimension for her,’’ Waller said.

“It was interesting that James McDonald - that was the first time he had ridden her, he has ridden her in a lot of work - he said, ‘she has got an amazing stride’ so being where she is comfortable is where we should ride her, not just go back like at her first couple runs when she was learning her craft.

“We’re looking forward to getting her out to a mile and her wins have been very good.

“Being by The Autumn Sun it should be no problem. What he’s doing at stud is amazing, let alone what he did himself.

“He was a winner from 1200 to 2000 metres, in fact we didn’t try him beyond 2000 metres so that gives you good confidence.”

The filly is a half-sister to Golden Rose winner In The Congo and while she was precocious enough to win her first trial back in March the 14-time premier Sydney trainer has never been in a rush with her.

Even after that impressive debut win Waller said he wouldn’t hesitate to give her more time if she showed she needed it but she’s made it to the Flight Stakes with flying colours.

It’s a race Waller has won twice, with Zougotcha in 2022 and Funstar in 2019.

“We thought enough of her to spell her when she was probably ready to race last preparation,’’ he said.

“We thought, ‘no, we’ll look after her, we can still see improvement in her’.

Autumn Glow wins the Tea Rose at Randwick on September 21

“By doing that, we knew we had a pretty short run up into races like the Flight Stakes if it all worked out.”

The form around stablemate Lady Shenandoah’s win in the Ming Dynasty three weeks ago gained an upgrade when runner-up Mayfair placed in last weekend’s Golden Rose and Waller said she's come through that breakthrough win well.

Lazzura, fourth behind Autumn Glow in the Tea Rose, and last start Listed placed Declichy Boulevard make up the Waller quartet in the Flight.

All the fields, form and replays for TAB Epsom Day at Randwick on Saturday