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By Ray Hickson

She’s unbeaten, she’s potentially the next big thing in Australian racing and Chris Waller doesn’t know how good she is yet.

Trainer Chris Waller (Pic: Bradley Photos).

She’s Autumn Glow.

Waller says she had a presence before she kicked off her career and that's part of what’s taken her to seven wins on end, Group 1 glory, inevitable questions about comparisons to Via Sistina and Winx, and favouritism in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick on Saturday.

“She just moves like, I guess you could relate her to a panther,’’ Waller said.

“She just glides across the ground. What she does at a walk she does at a canter and at full speed.

“She’s got an amazing stride length, a great demeanour, she’s got the best attitude and she loves her job. That’s been evident from day one.

“Fortunately her ability and her heart has gone with it. We can’t see how big their hearts are or how much determination they’ve got inside. She’s gone way beyond what we first thought, to go through and be unbeaten has been unbelievable.”

Waller doesn’t like to entertain comparisons with Winx, who famously strung 33 wins on end, but can see why Autumn Glow’s winning streak is attracting those questions.

And when it comes to Via Sistina, while she’s not put together unbeaten streaks, she currently holds the position of Australia’s best horse.

“It’s way too early. She’s got the brilliance of a very good horse,’’ Waller said.

“It’s rare to get these winning sequences and it’s hard to maintain them.

“The difference between your Via Sistina and Winx is they did it over a long time. She needs to maintain what she’s doing, keep improving, and let’s hope we’re taking about her in the same terms.

“This is another challenge, it’s another step up. The distance is fine, the track conditions are fine, she hasn’t been over raced so she’s ready to peak.”

James McDonald staying in Sydney to partner Autumn Glow is a glowing endorsement of what he thinks about the four-year-old. McDonald has only had one ride in the race before, running fifth in the inaugural year on Arcadia Queen.

The mare ticked off the Group 1 box Waller was so keen to do this spring when she easily won the Epsom Handicap earlier in October. She’s since had a tickover trial.

Sydney’s champion trainer does concede the Golden Eagle will be the hardest race Autumn Glow, $2.25 with TAB on Wednesday, has faced but at the same time what more can she do but win seven on end.

“We don’t know how good Autumn Glow is just yet, she hasn’t reached the ceiling and hopefully she doesn’t reach the ceiling this Saturday,’’ he said.

“That’s the exciting part of her, she’s unbeaten, and this is her biggest test to date. She’s taking on an international field and the best of what’s around.

“Until they’re under that immense pressure you really don’t know but she's capable of finding a new peak each time she runs, including her Group 1 victory in the Epsom.”

With some rain around Waller is comfortable that if Randwick happens to be rain affected come Saturday it won’t reduce her chances, and he says the barrier will be no excuse either.

“It gives you options, it’s a lovely big track, it means she can be where she’s comfortable, I think barrier nine is perfect for her racing style,’’ he said.

“Autumn Glow is a beautiful horse to work with, right from day one she’s been the ultimate professional. She enjoys her work, she really turns it on race day but post race she’s back to an every day horse.”

Autumn Glow wins the Epsom Handicap

Spare a thought for stablemate Lord Penman who will be one of the outsiders of the field and has to give 2kg to the star mare.

The gelding earned his spot with an improved second behind Linebacker, one of the favourites, in the $1m Silver Eagle (1300m) on Everest Day after receiving 4kg from the mare when seventh in the Epsom.

“He showed in the Silver Eagle that he’s getting to a level he needs to be at,’’ Waller said.

“The 1500m will suit him much better, he’s a rough chance.”

Lord Penman’s charity partner is The Sony Foundation while Autumn Glow has been paired with Friends Of The Mater Foundation with 10 per cent of prizemoney earned donated.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Eagle meeting at Randwick