by Kit Gow/Dane McLeod/TTR AusNZIt was Champions' Day at Flemington on Saturday, and one champion in particular was giving power to the name when making her first trip south of the border for the G1 Champions Mile.Only beaten once before, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) has taken all before her this spring, and the familiar black and yellow silks of Arrowfield Stud were highly favoured to win again for her first time on the other leg. She was quick away from the barriers under familiar partner James McDonald before letting Lindermann (Lonhro) cross to the front, while the mare settled one horse off the rail.The tempo began to ramp up once inside the final 800 metres, with Lindermann giving his Chris Waller-trained stablemate no quarter as they drew clear of the pack.Starpower prevailed, however, as McDonald gave Autumn Glow her rein and she accelerated clear to win by a length and a quarter, with a third Waller trainee in Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock) finishing third a further length behind.The victory was Autumn Glow's 15th from 16 starts and marked her sixth Group 1 win, with the hefty A$1.8-million first prize taking the 5-year-old's total earnings to over A$14.6 million.Waller had to admit to feeling nervous for the mare's first venture to Melbourne.“You don't want a horse like Autumn Glow to disappoint,” he said.”There's a massive crowd here today and it was good to see her go through her paces. She had to put up a fight. Lindermann, he dug deep and to come away that last 100 metres, it was special.”Lindermann is one of only two horses to get it over Autumn Glow, beating her in the 2000-metre G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in the autumn where she ran third behind him and Sir Delius (Frankel). Autumn Glow made that a one-off event, staying to a mile or below since in four straight wins for the spring.“The owners [of Autumn Glow] are fantastic, Hermitage from Hong Kong, Mr Messara and his team at Arrowfield,” said Waller. “They've been terrific support and great to train for. They know a lot about racing, but they leave a lot to my team and have trust in what we do. They deserve it, they're the ones showcasing it, so it's a good result.”A post-race examination found Autumn Glow to be lame in the left foreleg, and Racing Victoria's stewards provided an update at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday that Waller's stable found bruising in her hoof.Pedigree NotesBred by Newhaven Park, Autumn Glow was sold as a weanling for A$600,000 to Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock, before topping the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale at A$1.8 million, purchased by Arrowfield Pastoral and Hermitage Thoroughbreds.One of two individual Group 1 winners from three to race out of South African Champion Sprinter and multiple Group 1 winner Via Africa (Var), Autumn Glow is a three-quarter-sister to G1 Golden Rose Stakes winner In The Congo. By Arrowfield Stud's The Autumn Sun, she is one of five individual Group 1 winners for the stallion.Via Africa has been retired from breeding, but her daughter Protea (Vancouver) foaled a three-quarter-sister to Autumn Glow in August, two days before Autumn Glow's season-opening win in the G1 Winx Stakes.Point Barrow's Super Spring Continues in Champions SprintAn unplaced run in the G1 Moir Stakes in September is the only mark on the 2026 spring record for Point Barrow (Blue Point), who served her revenge on a field that included G1 The Everest victress Tempted (Street Boss) in Saturday's G1 Champions Sprint.The 4-year-old bounced back from the Moir with back to back wins for Anthony and Sam Freedman in the G3 How Now Stakes and the G3 Northwood Plume Stakes before heading to Flemington for Champions Day.Despite her record of 12 runs for seven wins and two placings ahead of Saturday, she was only rated a $18 chance to win – although punters could not be blamed for heavily backing Tempted into favouritism, with Joliestar (Zoustar) and Headwall (Dream Ahead) the only other runners favoured any shorter.But a patient steer in the hands of Mark Zahra, Point Barrow travelled under zero pressure at the back of the field until within the final two furlongs, at which point she launched through a gap and found the front. $101 shot Plaintiff (Zoustar) made a play for victory, but Point Barrow was able to surge late and snatch victory by almost half a length.Skybird (Exosphere) was a nose behind Plaintiff in third, with Headwall a head further back. A length separated them from Tempted, with Joliestar a neck further back in sixth.“It's been a long week and the team turned her out in great shape,” said Sam Freedman after the win, adding that he had the confidence going into the race that the mare could hold her own against Tempted.“She's [Point Barrow] been a bloody good mare for a while and it's been a long time coming. I'm glad she's got the win at the top level.”The sprint had been picked out for Point Barrow since the beginning of her preparation, and a Good 4 track played right into her favour.“Once the rain didn't come, I knew she would reel off a brilliant last 400 [metres] and Mark Zahra, he tends to get it right on the big days,” Freedman said.Pedigree NotesPoint Barrow was purchased for A$400,000 by Anthony Freedman Racing from the Yarraman Park Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.Point Barrow's first top-flight win makes her the seventh Group 1 winner globally for her Darley shuttle sire Blue Point. Co-bred by the McClures' Morning Rise Stud and Yarraman Park Stud, Point Barrow is the second foal from the G3 Champagne Stakes winner Take Pride (Reward For Effort), who is out of a half-sister to five-time Group 1 winner Mummify (Jeune), winner of the 2003 G1 Caulfield Cup where Makybe Diva (Desert King) finished fourth before her first G1 Melbourne Cup win.This family has also produced Group 3 winner and black-type producer Ottoman (Exceed And Excel) and dual Listed winner Isaurian (Exceed And Excel), both bred by Darley.SV Racing bought a valuable Home Affairs half-brother to Point Barrow for A$5,500 on Inglis Digital in early 2024, who is now a 2-year-old. Take Pride has a Hellbent colt to sell as a yearling in 2027, and was served by Shinzo in September.Angel's Halo Claims Group 1 Glory at RiccartonIt was the Hollie Elliot-trained Angels Halo (Proisir) who claimed Group 1 honours in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday, delivering the first Group 1 win for jockey Masa Hashizumi and the first under Elliot's sole name after she had previously trained two Group 1 winners in partnership with Johno Benner.It was a brilliant, rail-hugging ride by Hashizume, who made full use of his handy draw and initially settled about three back on the inside.There was plenty of tempo early, with roughie On Piste (Ace High) eventually taking up the lead after So Fear (Ardrossan) and Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain) both settled on pace and forced the issue early.Meanwhile, the well-backed favourite Astoria (Almanzor) was settled about midfield by Michael McNab. After straightening, Joe Doyle was making quick ground out wide aboard Dashing Dixie (Alabama Express), who was finishing better than Asturia, while she was also working home well.However, it was Hashizume who burst through the runners near the rail and finished strongest to score by just over half a length from the game Dashing Dixie. Astiuria finished another margin of just less than two lengths behind the runner-up in third, but picked up a valuable Group 1 placing for connections.Elliot admitted to being nervous leading into the race, but after tinkering with the gear, she was confident in the changes and having Masa on board.“Masa just gets on so well with my horses, he always rides them well and we seem to be building a really good partnership,” she said. “I said to him just to ignore her last run and just stick with her and we will fix it.”Pedigree NotesAngel's Halo was bred by Hospitality Rentals Ltd and is raced by the Hardy, the Collings and the Tangye families. The filly becomes the seventh Group 1 winner for her Rich Hill Stud-based sire Proisir, and she is out of the placed I Am Invincible mare Mongolian Angel, who herself is out of the five-time winner and multiple Listed-placed Pipette (Pivotal).This is the extended family of the Group 1 winner and sire Thirty Six Red and the G1 July Cup winner and stallion Starman. Mongolian Angel in recent times has produced a yearling filly by Sweynesse and wasn't served last spring.Saturday, Flemington, AustraliaCHAMPIONS MILE-G1, A$3,000,000, VRC, 11-07, 3yo/up, Open, 1600mT, 1:35.77, gd.1–AUTUMN GLOW (AUS), 57.0, m, 5, by The Autumn Sun (Aus) 1st Dam: Via Africa (SAf) (Ch. Sprinter-SAf, MG1SW- SAf, $244,723), by Var 2nd Dam: Bump 'n Grind (SAf), by Qui Danzig 3rd Dam: College Girl (SAf), by Quick Turnover(A$600,000 Wlg '22 MMLMAY; A41,800,000 Ylg '23 INGAPR).O-Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd (Mgr: J M Messara) & Hermitage(Mgr: Ms S M Clarke); B-Newhaven Park Stud (NSW); T-ChrisWaller; J-James McDonald; A$1,806,850. Lifetime Record:16-15-0-1, A$14,628,450. *1/2 to In The Congo (Aus) (Snitzel{Aus}), G1SW-Aus, $1,232,014. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.2–Lindermann (Aus), 59.0, g, 7, Lonhro (Aus)–Self Esteem (Aus),by Stratum (Aus). O-Woppitt Bloodstock (Mgr: Mrs D NKepitis); B-Woppitt Bloodstock Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Chris Waller;J-Damian Lane; A$540,000.3–Buckaroo (GB), 59.0, g, 7, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Roheryn (Ire),by Galileo (Ire). O-A Kheir, Qatar Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr: DRedvers), J A O'Neill, YES Bloodstock (Mgr: B F Sokolski), CartyRacing (Mgr: B C Carty), A K Racing (Mgr: Ms K L Solomon), B DNettlefold, T R Maddern & Bromfield Park Pty Ltd (Mgr: W CPearce); B-The Roheryn Partnership (GB); T-Chris Waller; J-BenMelham; A$270,000.Margins: 1 1/4, 1, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.18, 15.00, 13.00.Also Ran: Tom Kitten (Aus), Sepals (Aus), Within the Law (Aus), Pounding (Aus), El Soleado (Aus). Click for the Racing Australia chart. VIDEO. Saturday, Flemington, AustraliaCHAMPIONS SPRINT-G1, A$3,000,000, VRC, 11-07, 3yo/up, Open, 1200mT, 1:09.14, gd.1–POINT BARROW (AUS), 56.5, f, 4, by Blue Point (Ire) 1st Dam: Take Pride (Aus) (GSW-Aus, $204,800), by Reward for Effort (Aus) 2nd Dam: Shabtis (Aus), by Elusive Quality 3rd Dam: Cleopatra's Girl (Aus), by At Talaq*1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$400,000 Ylg '24 MMLJAN). O-Mrs B MMcClure, R McClure, Halo Racing Services Pty Ltd (Mgr: C BMckenna) & Ridgmont (Mgr: M Cunningham); B-Morning RiseStud (Vic); T-Anthony & Sam Freedman; J-Mark Zahra;A$1,806,850. Lifetime Record: 13-8-0-2, A$2,650,270. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.2–Plaintiff (Aus), 56.5, f, 4, Zoustar (Aus)–Prompt Response(Aus), by Beneteau. *1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (A$2,200,000Ylg '24 INGAPR). O-Fairway Thoroughbreds (Mgr: J Camilleri);B-Widden Stud Australia Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Peter Snowden;J-Jordan Childs; A$540,000.3–Skybird (Aus), 56.5, m, 6, Exosphere (Aus)–Real Desire (Aus),by Wanted (Aus). (A$110,000 Ylg '22 INGFEB). O-M J Scalzo, DJ Scalzo, Q Scalzo, C P Hayden, B J Hayden & C Bredbury; B-H PThoroughbreds (NSW); T-Mitchell Freedman; J-Ben Melham;A$270,000.Margins: LNK, NS, SHD. Odds: 17.00, 100.00, 30.00.Also Ran: Headwall (Aus), Tempted (Aus), Joliestar (Aus), Charm Stone (Aus), Geegees Mistruth (Aus), Mazu (Aus), Caballus (Aus).Click for the Racing Australia chart. VIDEO. Saturday, Riccarton Park, New ZealandNEW ZEALAND ONE THOUSAND GUINEAS-G1, NZ$600,000, CJC, 11-07, 3yo, Open, 1600mT, 1:35.47, gd.1–ANGELS HALO (NZ), 56.5, f, 3, by Proisir (Aus) 1st Dam: Mongolian Angel (Aus), by I Am Invincible (Aus) 2nd Dam: Pipette (GB), by Pivotal (GB) 3rd Dam: Amaryllis (Ire), by Sadler's Wells*1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.O-M J & S L Hardy, C Hardy, K Hardy, a Collings & L Collings, RTangye & B Tangye; B-Hospitality Rentals Ltd, Central, (NZ);T-Hollie Elliot; J-Masahiro Hashizume; NZ$345,000. LifetimeRecord: 5-2-0-1, NZ$368,160. Click for the free Arion.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.2–Dashing Dixie (NZ), 56.5, f, 3, Alabama Express (Aus)–WarGoddess (Aus), by Zoustar (Aus). *1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.(NZ$340,000 Ylg '25 NZBNAT). O-Forest Partnership, EMontgomerie, G & R Cottrill, G Hill, V & P Curtis, G & JDavidson, J Packer, N Williams, J Joyce, J Bull, J Meech, JamesFamily Syn, Lion Racing Ltd, C Weaver, M & L Wilson, MWalker, J Heeney, D Mudgway, R Taylor, M Russ, E Russ, AWilson, G Munro, Q McIntyre, C Menzies, M Neems, C Taylor,K Handcock, C O'Sullivan-Doyle, S Prentice, I & K Brown, B & TLewis, S & L McIroy & Helloworld Racing Girls Syn; B-JMLBloodstock Ltd, Central, (NZ); T-Lance O'Sullivan & AndrewScott; J-Joe Doyle; NZ$111,000.3–Asturia (NZ), 56.5, f, 3, Almanzor (Fr)–Kay's Legacy (NZ), byZabeel (NZ). *1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (NZ$135,000 Ylg '25NZBNAT). O-Te Akau Legacy of Love Racing Partnership (Mgr:Karyn Fenton-Ellis Mnzm); B-Monovale Holdings Ltd, Waikato,(NZ); T-Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson; J-Michael McNab;NZ$54,000.Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 30.00, 22.70, 0.90.Also Ran: Fiamma (NZ), Grocer's Girl (NZ), Sheza Professional (NZ), Sweetest Thing (NZ), Silhouette (NZ), Platinum la Danse (NZ), Miss Magnetica (NZ), So Fear (NZ), Park in the Bar (NZ), On Piste (NZ), Final Time (NZ), Francie Rules (Aus).The post Autumn Glow Conquers Flemington’s Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.