Trainer Adrian Bott is hoping for a fast-run G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia on Saturday (11 April) as Sir Delius attempts to halt star mare Autumn Glow’s imposing winning streak.

Unconquered in 11 starts from 1100m to 1600m, Autumn Glow ventures into uncharted territory for Chris Waller and James McDonald while Sir Delius boasts two wins and a third from three starts at 2000m and is also proficient in the forecast soft conditions.

Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, pointed to Sir Delius’ improving fitness and his victory over Via Sistina in the G1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington in October as a measure of his charge’s class when fully fit.

“I’d like to see him run a personal best this preparation, a peak performance,” Bott said. “His best performances in the spring may not be enough with the form Autumn Glow is in, but it’s different conditions to when they met last time.

“I expect it to be a decent pressure race, and I feel he’s at his best now this ‘prep’ to perform well.”

Sir Delius ran third behind Autumn Glow and Aeliana in the G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) on 28 February before finishing third to Aeliana and Lindermann in the G1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on 21 March.

“He needed those couple of runs and that grounding, he’s been building and I think he’s right on track,’’ Bott said.

To be ridden by Craig Williams, Sir Delius will attempt to exploit any stamina weaknesses in Autumn Glow.

“It’s (2000m) new ground for her, so if we’re trying to find something to grasp onto that would be it,’’ Bott said. “I have a huge amount of respect for her but not just her, Aeliana was very good last start, as you’d expect it’s a proper weight-for-age 2000m race, which is what you want.”

Sir Delius will face four runners from Chris Waller’s stable – Autumn Glow, Aeliana, Lindermann and Wootton Verni – as well as Ciaron Maher’s Light Infantry Man and William Haggas-trained pair Dubai Honour and Caviar Heights.

Haggas has decided to apply blinkers to international warrior Dubai Honour, who is seeking his fifth Group 1 victory – and second Queen Elizabeth Stakes success.

“Hopefully they’ll (blinkers) sharpen him up,’’ Haggas’ stable representative Issy Paul said.

“We did it with Addeybb in his second Queen Elizabeth (win) as well and that seemed to do the trick for him. I’ve given him a little spin in them at home and he was very good.”

Addeybb won the 2020 and 2021 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Dubai Honour added his name to the honour roll in 2023. He ran second to Via Sistina a year ago and is following the same pattern by coming through the Tancred Stakes.

“He’s a phenomenal horse, he rarely runs a bad race ever and we’ve got him in a really good place,” Paul said.

The G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) is carded as S1-9 and will be run at 2.35pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 11 April.