by Kit Gow, TTRAusNZThe first Group 1 of the 2026/27 season in Australia, Randwick's G1 Winx Stakes, was set to be an electric clash of stars, and chief among the group was the highly anticipated collision of glamour mares Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) and Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), and it certainly delivered on the drama.The complexion of the 1400-metre contest was changed with three withdrawals by early morning and further still when Sheza Alibi ended up at the rear of a field led by Lindermann (Lonhro).As the field turned for home, Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) made a break for the front, but Autumn Glow proceeded to show she was just that class above when mowing him down and taking the lead with 200 metres left to run. Sheza Alibi gallantly surged forward to close the gap, but couldn't catch John Messara's star mare, who won by a length and a third.“She's so special, just her gate speed and tractability,” said winning jockey James McDonald. “She knows when she's in a race because from the 500 metres to the 400 metres, it's like she just powers into herself and just builds herself, she just knows.“It's an incredible feeling and even though she puts herself in good spots, for her to have that audacity to fill her lungs up and know it's go time, just let rip, it's just incredible.”It was a 10th victory in the race named after his champion for trainer Chris Waller, who was quick to praise the decision of trainer Peter Moody and owner Fred Noffke to bring Sheza Alibi to Sydney and offer Sydney racing a piece of true theatre.When asked if a G1 The Everest slot was on the cards for Autumn Glow, Waller was coy–but it certainly wasn't a concrete 'no'.One of two individual Group 1 winners from three to race out of South African champion cprinter and multiple Group 1 winner Via Africa (Var {USA}), Autumn Glow is a three-quarter-sister to G1 Golden Rose Stakes winner In The Congo (Snitzel). By Arrowfield Stud's The Autumn Sun, she is one of five individual G1 winners for the stallion.Via Africa has yet to produce a live foal since Autumn Glow, but she is due to produce a foal by Zoustar at the end of September this year. Her daughter Protea (Vancouver) was covered by The Autumn Sun in 2025 and is due to foal a three-quarter relation to Autumn Glow any day.WATCH: Autumn Glow makes it 12 for 13 in the Winx S. The post Autumn Glow Adds Winx Stakes To Her Impressive Resume appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.