Horse racing: Superstar gets beat, trainer offers rare apology – Mick On Monday

Paul Townend celebrates as I Am Maximus wins the Grand National for the second time on Sunday. Photo/ Paul Ellis, AFP

Champion trainer Chris Waller has made the extraordinary gesture of apologising after his superstar mare Autumn Glow suffered her first defeat in the A$5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

The $1.30 favourite was chasing her 12th straight win but was beaten fair and square by the enormously talented European import Sir Delius.

Perhaps even more surprisingly, Autumn Glow had to settle for third as her own stablemate Linderman ran past her.

Autumn Glow was given the perfect ride by James McDonald but while she looked the winner at the 400m mark, she didn’t have the same finishing sprint, as her first start at 2000m took her too far out of her comfort zone.

She tried hard, like the great horses do, but just wasn’t as potent over the longer trip, especially one run this hard.

But ex-pat Kiwi trainer Waller says the defeat was because of his error.

“I’m disappointed for the horse, as she gave everything in the race but I simply got her distance range wrong,” he posted.

“I apologise to everyone for that, we’ll accept defeat graciously and come back better.

“Autumn Glow has come through yesterday’s run well, which is pleasing to see.

“We will now look ahead to next spring, where Autumn Glow can shine again.

“I’ll speak with the owners, map out an exciting preparation and keep you updated.”

Waller then went on to congratulate the connections of winner Sir Delius.

Autumn Glow’s defeat may have stung many punters and her bloodlines on her female side may suggest she is bred to be at her best between 1200-1600m, but who could blame Waller or her connections for stepping her up to 2000m?

Not only had she been very strong to and through the line at 1600m but she was, after all, a $1.30 favourite to win an A$5m race on her back doorstep.

Victory in the Queen Elizabeth II would have opened up races like the Cox Plate and the smorgasbord of rich 2000m weight-for-age races next season but she is now almost certain to not be set for the Cox Plate now, even though she is still the $7 fourth-favourite.

There is a silver lining to her cloud of defeat though.

Autumn Glow can head to the spelling paddock relieved of the burden of being unbeaten and the so-called “Next Winx”.

Maximus the Great

Irish steeplechaser I Am Maximus earned a place alongside the legend of the world’s most famous jumping race with victory in the Grand National at Aintree on Sunday.

The Willie Mullins-trained jumper won the iconic race for the second time carrying a record 75.3kg.

That makes I Am Maximus the first horse since Grand National legend Red Rum in 1977 to regain the National title, as I Am Maximus won it in 2024, lost his title when second last year and then regained it yesterday.

Incredibly, Red Rum won the Grand National in 1973 and 1974 then finished second the next two years before regaining his title in 1977.

That also sets I Am Maximus up to attempt to join Red Rum next year as the only other three-time winner of the Grand National.

His win means Mullins, a regular visitor to this part of the world during the Melbourne spring carnival, has trained the last three Grand National winners.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.