Autumn Glow vs Sheza Alibi - Remembering Racing's Greatest Duels

Kristen Manning

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Last updated: Wed 19 Aug 2026 15:10

Kristen Manning 2 hours ago

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Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi are set for a mouth-watering clash in Saturday's Group 1 Winx Stakes at Randwick
Their showdown evokes memories of some of Australian racing's most memorable head-to-head battles
We revisit four classic rivalries featuring Bonecrusher, Redoute's Choice, Imagele, Sir Dapper and more

Jim Cassidy drives Redoute's Choice to a thrilling victory over Testa Rossa in the 1999 Caulfield Guineas. (Getty)

Weather permitting, a mouth-watering clash between Australia's two most exciting mares...

Bonecrusher vs Our Waverley Star - 1986 W.S Cox Plate
Redoute's Choice vs Testa Rossa - 1999 Caulfield Guineas
Imagele vs Leica Lover vs Grand Cidium - 1973 AJC Derby
Sir Dapper vs Emancipation - The Summer and Autumn of 1984

Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi kick off their spring campaigns in the Group 1 Winx Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

The race brings to mind some of the great duels of the past and we reminisce about a few of them...

Bonecrusher vs Our Waverley Star - 1986 W.S Cox Plate

Any such article has to kick off with this iconic race, one that lives in the memories of all who witnessed it... rightly dubbed "The Race Of The Century."

The bold chestnuts, both foaled in 1982, had differing form lines in the lead-up; Our Waverley Star making his Australian debut whilst Bonecrusher had won two local Group 1 races - the Underwood Stakes and the Caulfield Stakes - at his previous outings.

What looked to be a great race on paper unfolded as one of the greatest of all races and nobody described it better than the legendary caller Bill Collins.

"Here come the New Zealanders!" he declared.

"Our Waverley Star and Bonecrusher, they've raced to the lead 600 out, have they gone too early?"

"Our Waverley Star, he got a half length to Bonecrusher. He's gone for the whip on Bonecrusher."

"The two great New Zealanders have come away on the turn. Our Waverley Star a half length, Bonecrusher. The big red won't give in, Bonecrusher responds to the whip - the roars of the crowd, he races up to Our Waverley Star. 100 metres out, Bonecrusher, Our Waverley Star stride for stride. Nothing in it, Our Waverley Star on the rails, Bonecrusher the outside."

As if that call wasn't already enough to stir every racing emotion, Bill Collins nailed it with his final words... "and Bonecrusher races into equine immortality."

One could imagine the race taking a bit out of both horses, but Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star continued to race with great distinction at the highest level.

The lead-up to that W.S Cox Plate was all about those two horses and Bonecrusher was part of another such build-up when taking on Vo Rogue in the 1988 Australian Cup. It was not to be that day however... Dandy Andy so famously providing a memorable upset!

Redoute's Choice vs Testa Rossa - 1999 Caulfield Guineas

It was just after the field had passed the 800m marker in the 1999 Caulfield Guineas that Greg Miles said something rather prophetic...

"This could be set up for something special."

Redoute's Choice and Testa Rossa - favourite and second favourite. The former was in the lead, the latter biding his time on the rails. And then...

"Redoute's Choice left the fence, there's the run for Testa Rossa if he's good enough. They reach the 200 and Testa Rossa sprinting very fast has moved up and has gone to the lead over Redoute's Choice. Cassidy had to pull the whip, it's Testa Rossa clear though."

And then...

"Redoute's Choice is coming again, Testa Rossa has to find, Redoute's Choice digs, he lunges and wins... a magnificent Guineas!"

Both horses headed to Moonee Valley two weeks later, Testa Rossa this time ahead of Redoute's Choice as they finished fourth and fifth in the first of the mighty Sunline's W.S Cox Plates.

Redoute's Choice had just another three runs (including a C.F Orr Stakes victory) before heading to stud whilst Testa Rossa raced on... winning four more Group 1 races (he'd already won a couple).

Both horses succeeded at stud, though Redoute's Choice led the way with three Australian Champion Sire titles; his son Snitzel winning another five. He died at the age of 22 in 2019 whilst the 30-year-old Testa Rossa is enjoying his retirement at Vinery Stud.

Imagele vs Leica Lover vs Grand Cidium - 1973 AJC Derby

A very busy two-year-old season, including a fall as favourite in the 1973 Golden Slipper Stakes, did not hinder the flashy and popular chestnut Imagele as he raced onto a highly successful three-year-old campaign.

The winner of his first six starts as a juvenile, the Tommy Smith-trained entire had won his first three starts the following season and leading into the AJC Derby (then run in the spring) he had victories in the Hobartville Stakes, the Canterbury Guineas and the Rosehill Guineas to his name.

Also building a great winning record leading into the Sydney Classic was Grand Cidium, the Tommy Hughes-trained galloper who had won five of his first six starts. And then there was Leica Lover, who had also been in stellar form, winning four of his previous five starts before heading to Randwick.

The three wonderful three-year-olds put on a great show - drawing clear from their rivals halfway down the straight and engaging in an epic battle; Grand Cidium on the fence, Leica Lover in the middle, Imagele the widest of the trio.

At different stages it looked as though any of the three could win and it was only in the shadows of the post that Imagele was able to put his nose in front - providing Smith with a record-breaking seven AJC Derby wins (he would win another two).

It was Leica Lover who would go on to enjoy the most prolonged career whilst sadly Imagele and Grand Cidium both died young... Imagele in 1976 after spending only two seasons at stud and Grand Cidium during routine surgery in 1974, just months after his Caulfield Guineas victory.

Sir Dapper vs Emancipation - The Summer and Autumn of 1984

This is more than a one-race story, these two wonderful gallopers in early 1984 taking each other on in three exciting contests.

The pair, who had previously met when both out of the placings (Sir Dapper fifth, Emancipation 11th) in the 1983 W.S Cox Plate won by Strawberry Road, met again in the Expressway Stakes at Randwick the following February.

Already proven at the elite level (Emancipation a Doncaster Handicap winner, Sir Dapper a Golden Slipper hero), they had crowds enjoying a great rivalry. Round one went to Sir Dapper in the Expressway (Emancipation injured in the running) and after that race they went their separate ways.

During which time they built imposing records, Sir Dapper winning a couple of Group 2 races whilst the mare also won two Group 2 races as well as the Group 1 Rosemount Wines Classic (now the Coolmore Classic).

It was in early April that they would meet again - in the George Ryder Stakes, a race Emancipation had won the year before.

Secret Romance led the way, Emancipation on his outside, Sir Dapper third on the rails. Things got tight in the run home - Sir Dapper angling for runs as his rival hit the lead. As she got a couple of lengths clear he was charging... round two to Emancipation.

Three weeks later... the All-Aged Stakes.

Emancipation and Sir Dapper shared an early lead, the latter losing ground after being galloped on in the early stages. But he soldiered on and in the straight the three-year-old put his head in front of the one-year-older mare.

Both were tough over the final stages, Emancipation railing gamely as Sir Dapper started to shift ground. It was to be his finale - returning to scale with visible signs of the injury incurred when he struck interference. And it was the great grey mare's last win.

Sir Dapper and Emancipation both boasted pedigree links to popular and high-class gallopers of the past - he being a son of the great sprinter Vain whilst Emancipation inherited her distinctive grey coat from her oh-so-popular dam sire Gunsynd.