| Latest Update | 7th May 2026 |
| He is having a good prepration in pre-training with Matt Vella. Nice horse, can be a little cheeky but Matt will keep his work up to keep him on the job at hand, but otherwise a nice horse. |
*** 80% LEFT. THE AUTUMN SUN COLT OUT OF ANIMAL KINGDOM’S HALF-SISTER**
Above: The final stages of his breaking in with Matt Vella
An outstanding individual we picked up at the Inglis Classic Sale 2026 is this colt by THE AUTUMN SUN out of the Japanese mare, Satono Sapphire, who’s a half sister to the Champion, ANIMAL KINGDOM.
He is a beautifully proportioned chestnut colt with a fluent walk and robust constitution as we’ve come to expect from horses with Japanese influence in their pedigrees.
THE AUTUMN SUN needs very little introduction. The spectacular star of his generation, the 5-time G1 winner at two & three, the best racing colt by Redoute’s Choice, and now the sire of 5 Gr.1 winners: AUTUMN BOY, AUTUMN ANGEL, COCO SUN, VIBRANT SUN and the sensational AUTUMN GLOW.
Sire
THE AUTUMN SUN
5 GROUP 1 WINNERS – 10 STAKESWINNERS – 21 STAKES PERFORMERS
THE AUTUMN SUN (By Redoute’s Choice) was a heart stopper on the race track and renowned for his booming final dash. He was only beaten once in 9 starts and his resume includes 5 x Gr1’s (JJ Atkins, Golden Rose, Caulfield Guineas, Randwick Guineas, Rosehill Guineas) and the Gr2 Hobartville Stakes.
An inspired merger of the late HH The Aga Khan’s finest work with Australia’s best, The Autumn Sun was by turns brilliant, dominant, astonishing & heroic on the racetrack.
At stud breeders have backed him with almost 700 mares in his first five books. He has already justified their belief in him.
The Autumn Sun’s first crop includes 11 stakes performers: Group 1 Oaks winners Autumn Angel & Vibrant Sun, Group 1 Derby winner Coco Sun, dual Group winner Autumn Ballet, Listed winners Matsualem & Private Legacy, Group 1-placed Tulsi & Tutta La Vita, millionaire & Group 3 performer Know Thyself and stakes-placed Kosgei & The Autumn Belle.
His next two crops are headed by Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow, the unbeaten winner of the Epsom H. G1 & the $10 million Golden Eagle, Caulfield Guineas G1 winner Autumn Boy, Group 1- placed Listed winner Snow In May and Caulfield Classic G3 winner Autumn Mystery. The Autumn Sun’s 25 yearlings sold at major sales in 2025 averaged $309,000, and 4 of of his daughters have sold out of training for 7-figure sums: Coco Sun ($1.2 million), Autumn Angel ($1.225 million), Autumn Ballet ($1.6 million) & Tutta La Vita ($3.2 million).
A quartet of talented sons, Champion Griffin Sky Jewellery, Gold Master, Another Zonda & Autumn Delight, have opened up the lucrative Hong Kong market with 9 victories in 2024/25. And in October 2025 his 2YO son out of Hole In Ten made $575,000 at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
Dam
SATONO SAPPHIRE Japanese-bred Satono Sapphire is an unraced half sister to the mighty ANIMAL KINGDOM, winner of the Gr1 Kentucky Derby and Gr1 Dubai World Cup. Satono Sapphire hails from a truly International family with a pedigree full of black type.
At the time of the pedigree page going to print she had 2 to race; both winners. She has since had a 3yo filly by Snitzel race twice in NZ for 2 placings..
Trainer
CIARON MAHER
At the forefront of Australian thoroughbred racing stands Ciaron Maher, one of the sport’s most accomplished and progressive trainers. As principal of Ciaron Maher Racing, he leads one of the nation’s largest and most versatile operations, renowned for success with both precocious juveniles and elite stayers. Raised on a dairy farm in country Victoria and shaped by an early career as a jumps jockey, Maher developed a deep, practical understanding of horses that underpins his holistic, horse-first training philosophy.
After gaining his trainer’s licence in the early 2000s, Maher quickly earned attention from his Warrnambool base for his ability to rejuvenate older horses and develop young talent. Early standouts such as Sertorius and Set Square paved the way for his breakthrough Group 1 success with Jameka in the 2016 Caulfield Cup. Known for blending traditional horsemanship with innovative methods like swimming, beach work, and recovery-focused conditioning, Maher established a reputation as a trainer unafraid to challenge convention.
From 2018 to 2023, his partnership with David Eustace formed a dominant force in Australian racing, producing stars including Coolangatta, Hitotsu, and Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip. Following Eustace’s departure, Maher expanded into a national, multi-state operation with training centres across Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. With a résumé featuring wins in the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, Blue Diamond, and Golden Slipper, Maher is widely admired for his adaptability, leadership, and belief in tailoring every preparation to the individual horse—embodying the modern evolution of Australian racehorse training.
Nominations and Bonuses
This colt is eligible for the lucrative BOBS Bonus scheme, the $5 million Golden Slipper, $1 million Golden Rose, $2 million Blue Diamond, $200,000 Blue Sapphire and has been nominated for the $12M Inglis Race Series.
Costings
Share Price Includes – Purchase Price, X-Rays & Clinical Examination, Scoping, Race Series Nomination and Mortality Insurance is covered up to the 28th February 2027.
The breaking-in fee and any other general related costs are not included in the share price. Any costs associated with nominations for BOBS, Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper have also not been included in the share price. These fees and charges will be invoiced separately on your monthly invoice, in due course.
Ongoing Expenses and MMF: The Ongoing Expenses consist of a $77 flat Monthly Management Fee (MMF) per owner, regardless of share percentage. The remainder of the fees are the Ongoing Expenses for the horse billed monthly, in arrears, which are split between the owners based on their percentage held. The following are estimated total monthly costs based on averages, as the Ongoing Expenses for the horse do vary depending on the current whereabouts of the horse i.e. training, spelling etc. The following amounts include both the $77 MMF and the average Ongoing Expenses combined:
- 2.5% – $162 estimated total monthly cost
- 5% – $247 estimated total monthly cost
- 10% – $417 estimated total monthly cost
Your first monthly fee will due on the 28th June 2026 (or the next business day if the 28th falls on a weekend or public holiday).