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Super colt The Autumn Sun recorded his third Group One win in a career of just six starts and provided more joy for some powerful breeding interests with his breathtaking win in Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas.

The Autumn Sun, a son of the champion sire Redoute’s Choice, has quickly become the standout colt of his generation with earnings of more than $2.3 million after wins in the G1 JJ Atkins, G1 Golden Rose and G1 Caulfield Guineas in the last four months.

Beaten just once in his six start career, The Autumn Sun holds a conservative stud value of at least $20 million after Arrowfield Stud secured a controlling interest in the colt just days before the Caulfield Guineas.

Arrowfield was a partner in the breeding of The Autumn Sun and offered him for sale as a yearling at the 2017 Australian Easter Sale were he was purchased by agent Guy Mulcaster acting for Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Chris Waller Racing.

Last week’s deal with Heritage Thoroughbreds gave Arrowfield management of the colt and standing rights when his career is complete with the worth of Saturday’s win priceless in the long term, a scenario that did not escape Arrowfield principal John Messara.

“The Autumn Sun is a very special horse. It is extra special that we bred and sold him with The Aga Khan studs and that he has won the race that made his sire Redoute’s Choice a legend 19 years ago,” said Messara.

“I’ve had a bit of experience with nice colts and he is as good as they get, he is a superstar.”

Winning the Caulfield Guineas emulated the racing achievements of his own sire Redoute’s Choice and another Arrowfield stud champion Flying Spur.

They were the only two Australian-bred colts by the incomparable Danehill to win at G1 level as a 2YO and follow up with two or more G1 wins at three.

Flying Spur went on to be champion sire of Australia in 2007 and Redoute’s Choice has been champion sire three times in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

The Autumn Sun became one of 10 products by Redoute’s Choice to win two G1 races when he won the Golden Rose at Rosehill last month.

Also sharing in The Autumn Sun’s emergence is the Aga Khan as he bred and owns the colt’s unraced dam Azmiyna and hosted Redoute’s Choice at his stud in France in 2013 and 2014. The runners from those seasons to date have included seven stakes winners.

Azmiyna, by Galileo, is now located at Arrowfield Stud at Scone after she was bred in Ireland from Asmara, a Listed winner by Lear Fan. Asmara Is also the dam of Azamour, placed in the Epsom and Irish 2000 Guineas and a G1 winner over 2400m by Night Shift, and the G2 winner Arazan.

His third dam is the stakes winner Anaza (Darshaan), also the dam of G1 winner Astarabad (Alleged) and the stakes-placed Astarak (Rainbow Quest).

English and Irish Derby winner Galileo, by Sadler’s Wells, shuttled to Australia five times from 2002 to 2006 but has not had the same impact in this region as his rampant northern hemisphere success standing at Coolmore Ireland where he has become the most successful stallion since his own sire Sadler’s Wells.

The Autumn Sun is the first Australian-bred runner for Azmiyna. She has since produced a Snitzel 2YO filly, a Not A Single Doubt yearling colt and is in foal again to Snitzel.

The Snitzel filly is a three-quarter sister to The Autumn Sun and was secured for $1.3 million by the same Hermitage/Waller/Mulcaster team at this year’s Easter Sale.

The projection that The Autumn Sun will be a classic performer up to 2400m is well founded given the success Redoute’s Choice has enjoyed as the source of a number of Oaks and Derby performers.

They include Miss Finland (VRC Oaks), Samantha Miss (VRC Oaks), Gallica (Schweppes Oaks), Anamato (Australasian Oaks), Musir (UAE Derby), Redoute’s Dancer (NZ Derby), Howard Be Thy Name (SA Derby), Empire’s Choice (Queensland Derby), Dariana (Queensland Derby) and Absolutely (ATC Oaks).

Redoute’s Choice has sired more than 1000 winners (75.3%) of 2800 races and over $140 million. His 150 plus Australian sired stakes winners includes 100 at Group level including 33 successful in G1 events.

He is the most successful sire of Australian-sired G1 winners. Fastnet Rock has 35 G1 winners on his honour board but they include seven sired in Ireland.

His contribution as a broodmare sire is tremendous. His daughters have foaled 823 winners (75 SWs) of over 2200 races and $97 million and include 10 G1 winners.

Redoute’s Choice has also established a high class sire dynasty headed by record breaking son Snitzel (dam by Snippets) who has been champion Australian sire for the past two seasons and is al but assured of a third successive title at this early stage.

Other sons of Redoute’s Choice at stud in Australia include Not A Single Doubt, Albrecht, Hampton Court, Panzer Divison, Pariah, Scissor Kick, Sheer Talent and Swear.

One of his most successful sire sons, the Golden Slipper winner Stratum, died at the peak of his stud career in 2016 at the age of 14. He sons at stud include Stratum Star and Va Pensiero.