Autumn Glow and the Famous Melbourne Debuts of Racing Legends

Kristen Manning

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Last updated: Fri. 06 Nov. 2026 05:17

Kristen Manning 1 hour ago

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Autumn Glow debuts in Melbourne as odds-on favourite in the 2026 Champions Mile
She aims to emulate champions like Phar Lap and Winx with a strong first impression
Past greats experienced both triumphs and setbacks in their Melbourne debuts

Winx, ridden by Hugh Bowman, makes a winning Melbourne debut in the 2015 Cox Plate. (Getty)

With outstanding mare Autumn Glow heading to Melbourne for the first time as an odds-on favourite in Saturday's Group 1 Champions Mile, anticipation is building ahead of her Flemington debut.

Phar Lap - Flemington, November 2, 1929
Kingston Town - Caulfield, October 13, 1979
Sunline - Caulfield, February 20, 1999
Might And Power - Caulfield, October 18, 1997
Winx - Moonee Valley, October 24, 2015

The highly regarded mare will be looking to make an immediate impression on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, following in the footsteps of some of Australia's greatest racehorses.

It's a timely opportunity to revisit some of the most memorable Melbourne debuts by champions of the past — and a few that didn't quite go to plan.

Phar Lap - Flemington, November 2, 1929

On the back of consecutive victories in the Rosehill Guineas, the AJC Derby (then run in the spring) and the Craven Plate, the mighty chestnut was sent out an odds-on favourite for his Melbourne debut in the VRC Derby at Flemington.

"At no stage of the race did those who had invested on Phar Lap have any cause for anxiety," it was reported in the press.

"Over the last furlong nothing could get near enough to the New Zealand bred gelding to extend him. Phar Lap scored like one in a different class to his rivals."

"Phar Lap started one of the hottest favourites in the long history of the classic event and no winner could have scored in much easier style."

Such was the ease of his victory that Phar Lap was sent out an even-money favourite in the Melbourne Cup just three days later, although he could manage only third, with the tactics employed by trainer and jockey drawing criticism.

Of course, he returned 12 months later to make amends in unforgettable fashion.

Kingston Town - Caulfield, October 13, 1979

Gelded after famously finishing last — a distant last — on debut, Kingston Town quickly found his feet in his second campaign and had strung together six consecutive victories when he headed south for the 1979 Caulfield Guineas.

It was hardly the ideal introduction to Melbourne racing for the future three-time W.S. Cox Plate winner, who finished third as an even-money favourite, with the rain-affected track largely blamed for the defeat.

"Kingston Town couldn't handle the conditions at all," Tommy Smith told the press, while jockey Malcolm Johnston reported that "he never really handled the going at any stage, he was floundering and he showed what a really great horse he is by finishing third."

Fourth when backing up in the following Saturday's Caulfield Cup before an unlucky second to Big Print in the VRC Derby, Kingston Town began earning a reputation as a "Sydney champion", a perception reinforced by another two Caulfield defeats the following year.

But, as history tells us, he soon put that reputation firmly behind him!

Sunline - Caulfield, February 20, 1999

Before Black Caviar, before Winx — there was Sunline.

Another brilliant mare with a remarkable ability to string victories together, Sunline had won seven straight before making her Melbourne debut in the Group 3 Angus Armanasco Stakes at Caulfield.

Four early victories in New Zealand had generated considerable excitement ahead of her Sydney campaign, where she swept through the Group 3 Furious Stakes, Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes and Group 1 Flight Stakes, winning each by commanding margins.

Little wonder she started odds-on at Caulfield, although she was only second-up and stepping straight from a 1200m victory at home to the mile.

She endured a difficult run but was nevertheless beaten by Rose O'War, an unusual blemish on her outstanding record, although she reversed the result in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes just two weeks later.

Strapper Claire Bird has vivid memories of the day, noting that "she was never at her best at Caulfield - she never really liked it, she didn't even like being in the stalls."

"I remember coming down the stairs to get her hearing people say 'that proves she's not as good as they think she is,'"

Sunline, of course, had the last laugh!

Might And Power - Caulfield, October 18, 1997

Looking back at Might And Power's record-breaking demolition of his rivals in the 1997 Caulfield Cup, it's almost impossible to believe the free-wheeling gelding started at 8-1!

He had been beaten as favourite at his previous two starts in Sydney, although the two victories preceding those defeats had provided a glimpse of something special.

Even so, his breathtaking all-the-way triumph by 7½ lengths left everyone in awe, although jockey Jim Cassidy had been confident from the moment he laid eyes on him before the race.

"I have never seen a horse walk around the mounting yard the way he did on Caulfield Cup Day, Jack Denham had him looking as good as any horse I have ever seen on a racecourse - I thought he was unbeatable."

"There was not a horse in the world that could have beaten him that day," Cassidy later declared.

Not a bad way to launch a Melbourne racing career, and Might And Power further enhanced his reputation with victory in the Melbourne Cup just weeks later.

He suffered a couple of Melbourne defeats during his following campaign but returned to his brilliant best the next spring, claiming the Caulfield Stakes and W.S. Cox Plate.

Winx - Moonee Valley, October 24, 2015

By the time Winx made her first appearance in Melbourne, she was already a seasoned traveller, having raced 15 times across New South Wales and Queensland.

She had finished the previous season by launching what would become her extraordinary winning streak, taking out the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas and Group 1 Queensland Oaks.

Victories in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes and Group 1 Epsom Handicap had her favourite for her first W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, although she was hardly at prohibitive odds, starting at $4.60.

It was, of course, the first of her historic four consecutive victories in the weight-for-age championship, with Melbourne ultimately proving the only city in which she raced without defeat.

"From the 800 metres I was very confident," Hugh Bowman reported after the race.

"At the 600 metres the leader rolled off, I went through. I did not want to go too early but sometimes you don't have choices, you have to take the cards you are dealt. I was on a premium mare who was able to capitalise on the run I got."

"It was a huge thrill," Chris Waller said. "She had a lovely run and when she just put the foot down turning for home, it was shades of Sunline, wasn't it!?"