Cover image courtesy of Doomben Racecourse
The field for Saturday’s G1 Doomben 10,000 is lush with stallion prospects. Yulong-owned Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) has a crack a second Group 1 before he retires to stud. The 4-year-old Group 1 winning entire Reserve Bank (Capitalist) is joined by promising 3-year-old colts Grafterburners (Graff), Beadman (Snitzel), and Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the hot field.
There are nine geldings in the field, with only two mares to round out the field. The scratchings of Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), due to an encounter with a stingray, and Abounding (Rich Enuff) on vet’s advice, leaves only Skybird (Exosphere) and Spicy Martini (Justify {USA}) to give the girls a chance at glory.
Yulong’s Angel attempts a second elite win
Both Private Harry and Devil Night are booked to begin their stud careers in 2026 at Yulong’s new Hunter Valley farm. Devil Night, a son of Extreme Choice, was scratched on Thursday afternoon from the G1 Doomben 10,000, but he already has the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes in the bag and is Group 1 placed this campaign.
Private Harry exploded onto the racing scene as a 3-year-old, winning his first five starts in succession including the G1 Galaxy Handicap. Since then, he’s switched trainers to Chris Waller but struggled with bone bruising. This will be his second run for this campaign.
“I'm very happy with Private Harry,” Waller said.
“He worked exceptionally well (Tuesday morning) on the Gold Coast. I think first-up there was a bit of 'ring rust' and he struck a heavy track. He's trimmed up nicely from that run and has drawn well (barrier four).”
“He (Private Harry) worked exceptionally well (Tuesday morning) on the Gold Coast... He's trimmed up nicely from that run and has drawn well (barrier four).” - Chris Waller
One of three Group 1 winners for young sire Harry Angel (Ire), Private Harry is from the family of top-class 2-year-olds Don Corleone, who stands at stud in Queensland and this season’s G2 Todman Stakes winner Paradoxium (Extreme Choice).
Private Harry | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
The great jockey shuffle
Both Beadman and Napoleonic were on the ballot for the G1 Doomben 10,000, making the field thanks to the scratchings of Lady Of Camelot and Abounding. Initially, James McDonald was going to ride Beadman for trainer Peter Snowden, but with the proviso that he preferred Napoleonic if that horse made the field.
He did, and so Napoleonic will have the services of J-Mac, who won the G3 Red Anchor Stakes on him in the spring.
James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It's important because he looks like he's in a big race with a chance,” Napoleonic’s trainer Tom Charlton said about the jockey appointment.
“It has always been the plan, and it's not normally a race where you get a full field. Normally a (benchmark rating) 103 3-year-old gets in, so it was a bit of a spanner in the works. But thankfully, we're in.
“He worked very well with Linebacker on Tuesday. James came in and rode him, which makes our life easy because he knows where we're at, and he was very pleased. We can't fault the preparation thus far.” Napoleonic hasn’t raced since March but has won two trials since then.
Napoleonic | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
As a stallion prospect, the Group 3 winning son of Wootton Bassett (GB) has much to recommend him. Bought by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock on behalf of Pinecliff Racing for $360,000 from Widden Stud’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft, Napoleonic is out of four-time winner Jolie Brise (Fastnet Rock). She’s already the dam of juvenile Group 3 winner Ready Set Sail (More Than Ready {USA}) and stakes placed Set The Sails (More Than Ready {USA}).
Napoleonic’s second dam is Group 3 winner Vestey (Last Tycoon {Ire}) who is out of a Vain mare which is a grand build up of damsires for his pedigree.
Beadman | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Tim Clark will ride Beadman. He comes off a last start win in the G3 Gold Coast Guineas, and is owned by a partnership that includes China Horse Club, Newgate Farm, Trilogy and Go Bloodstock. The 3-year-old colt was a $900,000 purchase by the aforementioned part-owners from Arrowfield Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
He’s already booked his ticket to a stud career with a Group 3 win at two, and two stakes wins this time in. A son of nine-time winner Iffranesia (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}) who peaked in the Listed Chantilly Prix de Bonneval, Beadman comes from a strong European family.
Tim Clark | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Galaxy pair to redeem themselves
With thunder and lightning in the air before March’s G1 Galaxy Handicap both Grafterburners and Reserve Bank reared in the starting gates. Quick thinking by the barrier attendants pulled Grafterburners’ jockey Zac Lloyd to safety, and both horses were extracted with only minor injuries.
“A further veterinary examination revealed the colt (Grafterburners) to be sore over the back,” said the steward’s report.
“After being loaded, (Reserve Bank) became very fractious, reared making forceful contact with its head. A post-race veterinary examination revealed the horse to be sore over the head and neck.” Both were required to trial before racing again.
Grafterburners | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Both have since done that and have raced again with Grafterburners running third to Tempted and Devil Night in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint last start.
“I don't know a lot about Grafterburners but I am aware he has a bit of history in the gates,” jockey Zac Purton told racingandsports.com.au.
“I don't know a lot about Grafterburners but I am aware he has a bit of history in the gates.” - Zac Purton
“He is a 3-year-old up against the big 'boys' and probably needs to find a little bit but being a promising younger horse he is open to improvement. He has a good record and needs to take that next step but hopefully he can.
“I rode a lot for Kelly (Schweida) when I was based in Brisbane. He is great trainer, very astute – he knows what he is doing.” Purton is on a one-day outing from the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the meeting at Doomben.
“Under normal circumstances, the Hong Kong Jockey Club would not let me go. But Racing Queensland officials were in Saudi Arabia for the Asian Racing Conference recently and they approached the (HKJC) club about me going down for the Doomben 10,000 and they agreed. This is probably my only trip to Brisbane for the carnival so I hope we can have a bit of luck on Saturday.”
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Listed winner Grafterburners will need to win this race to be attractive in a stud deal, as he has all the ability but lacks in the sire department from a commercial point of view. That lack didn’t stop Written Tycoon from stud success, however, it can make it tougher work for a farm to market a horse.
Winner of six of his 13 starts and over $2 million, Grafterburners is from the first crop of Group 2 winner Graff, a son of Star Witness. He has plenty of commerical heat in his female family to counter this. Grafterburners’ unraced dam Coralina (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is a half-sister to Champion 2YO Filly and G1 Golden Slipper winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel) who is the dam of young stallion and Group 1-placed Lofty Strike. Another half-brother, Group 2 winner Standout, sired his first winner from his first crop recently.
Reserve Bank, a 4-year-old entire, already has a Group 1 win under his belt, having won the 2025 G1 Goodwood Handicap as a 3-year-old. He had a long layoff due to an illness, and has had the one start back this time in.
“The wide barrier may help a horse like him, not having to stand there for too long, because there are quite a few other horses in the race that have barrier quirks,” jockey Ceejay Graham told racenet.com.au.
“The wide barrier may help a horse like him, not having to stand there for too long, because there are quite a few other horses in the race that have barrier quirks.” - Ceejay Graham
“With the track going to be water-affected and him having sort of quirkiness in the gates, hopefully the barrier is a good recipe for him. It was good that I’ve had a sit on him already and got a bit of a feel for him but he certainly was a bit cheeky in there (the barriers).”
Reserve Bank | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
One of two Group 1 winners for G1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, whose other Group 1 winner Captivant already stands at stud, Reserve Bank was a $410,000 yearling. His dam, winning mare Our Songbird (Fastnet Rock) also has this season’s Group 3-placed 3-year-old gelding Ornithology (Too Darn Hot {GB}). Our Songbird is a half-sister to stakes winners Debonairly (Snitzel) and Corsaire (Anabaa {USA}).
The market adjusts to the changes
With two scratchings and the two 3-year-old colts making the field, there have been some market movers this week in the Doomben 10,000.
“Napoleonic has JMac and Grafterburners will be ridden Zac Purton and we know how popular those jockeys are with World Pool punters,” TAB Fixed Odds spokesman and price assessor Tim Ryan told racingandsports.com.au on Thursday after all the jockey shuffles had been finalised.
“Napoleonic has JMac and Grafterburners will be ridden Zac Purton and we know how popular those jockeys are with World Pool punters.” - Tim Ryan
Tim Ryan | Image courtesy of Sky Racing
“I think both horses will be very well backed on Saturday while Jimmysstar has been on the drift and is probably his right price now at $3.40 to $3.50. The betting on the Doomben 10,000 has generally been quiet and there has been little money for Private Harry. He is probably our best way.”
Beadman, who won on a heavy track in last year’s G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic, is currently at $11 for the event to be run in similar conditions.
