Australia's leading three-year-old colt The Autumn Sun retired to stud

The Autumn Sun, winner of eight of his nine career starts including five Group 1s, has been retired meaning Chris Waller will lose his two best horses in an emotional 48 hours when Winx has her final race on Saturday.

Owners Arrowfield Stud issued a statement on Thursday morning announcing that the son of Redoute's Choice had been retired with immediate effect.

The Autumn Sun raced nine times during his career, winning eight races and finishing third once – he was luckless in his only loss in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes.

He won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins at Eagle Farm at the end of his three-start two-year-old season and landed five consecutive victories, four of those at Group 1 level as a three-year-old.

Arrowfield's John Messara said: "The quality of The Autumn Sun's race record also reflects the skill and dedication of trainer Chris Waller and his team, and we're very grateful for their care and management of him."

The Autumn Sun's racetrack retirement comes 352 days after his debut at Randwick on Anzac Day last year and he will stand at Arrowfield for a fee of $77,000 inc. GST.

A joint venture has been established between Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Arrowfield, both half-share owners of The Autumn Sun, to acquire mares specifically for the colt. These mares will be additional to those already committed by Arrowfield for his first book.

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