Autumn Glow wins Champions Mile as Waller chases record
Chris Waller's horses Autumn Glow and Birdman won two of the Melbourne Cup carnival's three Group 1 races on Saturday.
Champion trainer Chris Waller claimed four of the eight Group 1 races across the Melbourne Cup carnival after Autumn Glow won the Champions Mile and Birdman upset Cox Plate champion Cosmic Crusader in the Champions Stakes.
Autumn Glow, who has won 15 of her 16 races, is running close to her best form. Birdman came from dead last in the 2000-metre race in a tactical masterclass by jockey Ben Melham.
Waller now has 27 Group 1 wins for 2026, just one shy of Aidan O'Brien's world record of 28 in a calendar year. After winning the Victoria Derby and Empire Rose Stakes the week before, Waller is within striking distance of equalling the record with the racing year winding down.
- 15 of 16 races
- Autumn Glow wins
- 27 Group 1 wins
- Waller's 2026 total
- 28 (Aidan O'Brien)
- World record
- 3 million dollars each race
- Prize money
Why it mattersA trainer breaking a world record for Group 1 wins in a single year is a rare milestone in Australian racing history.
AustraliaThis is a significant achievement for Australian horse racing and keeps Chris Waller among the world's elite trainers.
