Sir Delius claims a third Group 1 in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes

In one of the upsets of the carnival, Sir Delius (Frankel) brought an end to Autumn Glow's unbeaten streak with a commanding victory in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on Saturday

Take from The Thoroughbred Report Aus/NZ, 12th April 2026, by Tom Baddock:

With plenty of pre-race focus on whether Autumn Glow would see out the 2000 metres, the race was run in a manner that ensured it would be a genuine test. Light Infantry Man and Caviar Heights rolled forward to set a strong tempo, with Sir Delius settling perfectly in third in clear air under Craig Williams. Autumn Glow was positioned just behind him, travelling comfortably in the early and middle stages, while Dubai Honour tracked her every move. In contrast, Lindermann was snagged back to last in a notable tactical shift from his usual on-speed pattern.

The race began to take shape approaching the home turn as Caviar Heights quickly dropped out, leaving Sir Delius to stride up and challenge Light Infantry Man. At the 400 metres, Sir Delius had quickly asserted control, while Autumn Glow was asked to quicken in pursuit. However, the response was not as explosive as it had been throughout her unbeaten run. While she battled on gamely, Autumn Glow was unable to match the sustained speed of the leader, with Sir Delius continuing to find under pressure and extending clear over the final furlong. In the closing stages, Lindermann charged late from the rear to grab second on the line, relegating Autumn Glow to third as she peaked on her run late.

Sir Delius scored by two and a quarter lengths in a decisive victory, with the performance highlighting both his class and his ability to sustain a strong gallop at 2000 metres, while also exposing the query around Autumn Glow's stamina at the trip. Trainer Adrian Bott, speaking on behalf of the Waterhouse and Bott partnership, said the race had long been the target.

"This is the one that counted. We kept the focus on this race and today was the right set-up," Bott said.

"Craig executed it perfectly. He had him in a beautiful rhythm and when it was time to go, he responded like a top-class horse."

Williams' ride proved crucial, positioning Sir Delius in the ideal stalking role behind the speed before asking for a sustained effort at the right time.

The win marked a return to the top level for Sir Delius, adding another Group 1 to a record that already included elite victories in the Turnbull Stakes and Underwood Stakes during the spring.