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By Ray Hickson

Unbeaten mare Autumn Glow already has a stranglehold on betting for next month’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap and trainer Chris Waller expects her to confirm that’s where she’s headed at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Chris Waller (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The four-year-old takes a record of five wins on end into the Group 2 $300,000 Toyota Forklifts Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) having returned with a tough win in heavy ground three weeks ago.

Waller said while the Toy Show was a testing run it did tick an important box for him as the mare zeroes in on an Epsom for which she’s already $2.30 favourite with TAB prior to the release of weights next week.

“The 1300m will probably suit her a little bit better than 1100m and I hope to learn she’s on track for an Epsom,’’ Waller said.

“Everything at home indicates she is so I’m very happy with her.

“It’s good to get a run into them. That first run is pretty important to see they’ve come back well but also for fitness.

“We know we can handle the wet if we have to, we’ll try to avoid it but if we get a wet Epsom day we know we’re running.”

The champion trainer rarely buys into booms on his horses while they’re still on the way up but it’s interesting that since day one he’s not been able to hide his excitement about Autumn Glow.

Kerrin McEvoy has his second ride on the mare, having partnered her to win the Up And Coming Stakes last year at her second race start.

“She shows some exciting things but we just want to see her tick that Group 1 box then we’ll start talking,’’ Waller said.

“She’s got all the signs of a nice horse and we haven’t found the ceiling with her yet.”

Three-time Group 1 winner Joliestar will be out to show she’s on target for a TAB Everest slot in the Group 2 $300,000 Irresistible Pools Sheraco Stakes (1200m).

Since she was beaten in the corresponding race a year ago she’s won a Newmarket and the Kingsford-Smith Cup at Group 1 level and Waller said he’s learned a number of things about her in the past 12 months he hopes can be put to good use this spring.

“She’s a more mature horse now,’’ he said.

“We don’t need to bustle her to be in positions, that was her downfall this time last year.

“She won first-up really well then we asked too much of her second-up and the rest of them were good runs.”

Joliestar raced in the Chris Waller Racing slot last year, she’s not been confirmed for 2025 as yet, and is on the $13 line in TAB Everest betting.

Waller’s Golden Rose team will become clearer, and he could unearth a couple of TAB Everest contenders, in the two feature three-year-old races at Rosehill.

Among his acceptors, he has Coolmore colt Wodeton and Godolphin colt Beiwacht engaged in the Group 2 $300,000 Yulong Run To The Rose (1200m) and boom colt Autumn Boy headlining the Group 3 $250,000 Chandon Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

Wodeton and Beiwacht ran second and third respectively behind Raging Force in the San Domenico two weeks ago and Waller said both have the chance to step up.

“He’s come back well,’’ he said of Wodeton, who was crowded for room late in his first-up run.

“He had a busy two-year-old year without much luck and it was good to see him come back. You know he’s going to improve with a bit of extra distance.”

A wide run didn’t help Beiwacht’s cause but Waller was rapt with how he held his ground and his wish for a more favourable gate was granted.

“He ran a nice race first-up. Whether Beiwacht goes to the Golden Rose I‘m not sure,’’ he said.

“He’s a professional horse, he’s a very good type, he’s already a Group 2 winner and he has one box to tick and that’s a Group 1.”

And Autumn Boy, who hasn’t raced since winning a Listed race at Eagle Farm in late June, is kicking off over the longer trip to give him the best chance of being ready for the Golden Rose in two weeks.

Autumn Glow wins at Randwick on August 23

He’s trialled twice to Waller’s liking.

“He’d struggle first-up (at 1200m) against those guns when they’ve already had a run. The 1400m will be in his comfort zone,’’ he said.

“Obviously he’s exciting. We know what stallion he is by, The Autumn Sun and he got to a mile easily.

“With The Autumn Sun we ran him first-up at 1500m and brought him back to the Golden Rose. We’d like to run him in the Golden Rose and Saturday will tell us more.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting