Welcome to another edition of Shep’s Brisbane Breakdown, where each week I’ll dive into the highlights, key moments and horses to follow from the Brisbane Racing Club’s Saturday meeting. This week, the spotlight was firmly on Doomben Cup Day, one of the marquee events of Stradbroke Season and it delivered in spades.
The Group 1 Doomben Cup has long been a test of stamina, strategy, and class, and the 2025 edition was no exception, with the great local hope Antino claiming a popular victory in dominant fashion.
Beyond the Cup itself, the undercard delivered a full day of competitive racing, emerging narratives, and several performances that screamed “follow me next start.”
Ready to relive the highlights? Let’s break down everything that made Doomben Cup Day one to remember!
Antino Delivers for Queensland in Thrilling Doomben Cup Victory
The hometown hero rose to the occasion on one of Brisbane’s biggest racing stages, with Antino producing a powerful performance to claim the 2025 Group 1 Doomben Cup.
Roared home by a parochial crowd, the Tony Gollan-trained gelding overcame a tricky draw and a high-pressure tempo to become the first local horse to win the Doomben Cup since Lord Seaman in 1986.
It was a win that not only confirmed his class but also gave Queensland racing fans a moment to savour during the heart of Stradbroke Season.
In a race billed as a showdown between Antino and reigning Australian Horse of the Year Pride Of Jenni, it was the local hope who turned it into a one-act affair.
Blake Shinn produced bold moves on the son of Redwood to win the Group 1 Toorak Handicap and as recently as two weeks ago in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes, but in Saturday’s feature he had the race in complete control.
With Pride Of Jenni setting a strong speed, Shinn bided his time before making his move around the field on the home turn.
The race was as good as over at the top of the straight when Antino levelled up before dashing clear to emphatically win by just under four lengths in track record time.
Blake Shinn etched his name into the history books, becoming the first jockey to win the Doomben Cup on four separate occasions.
With a tear in his eye, Shinn recalled the winning ride.
“He told me when he wanted to get rolling about the half mile,” Shinn said.
“I just pulled him off Osipenko’s back, and it was time to go and it was a great feeling.
“He went from about seven (lengths) off them to having the race at his mercy at about the 400 and I knew he’d keep that gallop up.
“It’s great for Queensland racing to witness Antino at his best here today.
“It’s great for Tony Gollan, and it’s great to showcase a horse of his ilk, and it’s special to be on board him.”
Gollan has trained some outstanding horses in his career such as Group 1 winners Spirit Of Boom, Temple Of Boom and Jonker but rates Antino the best horse of them all.
The 11x Brisbane Premiership winner has set his sights on a tilt at the Ladbrokes Cox Plate during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
“He’s the best horse I’ve trained,” an emotional Gollan said.
“He’s gone to another level, what we saw today is pretty special.
“It’s a pretty good Doomben Cup field, and he’s won impressively.
“We can set our sights now on Melbourne in the spring.
“We’ll put him away now for the Cox Plate, I think his style of racing suits a race like that.
“That amphitheatre there (The Valley), they can build and build and build.
“And why not? I mean, he’s stamped himself as one of Australia’s best weight for age horses, particularly at the middle distance.
“He’s a privilege to train, and I can’t wait to get him to Melbourne.”
The Ladbrokes traders installed Antino as the $8 second favourite for the Cox Plate behind Via Sistina.
Racegoers toasted Antino’s win with a cold ale thanks to the Brisbane Racing Club honouring their promotion if Antino or Pride Of Jenni won.
Philia Blossoms into Leading Oaks Contender
Progressive filly Philia continued her rapid rise through the ranks with a commanding front-running performance in the Group 2 The Roses at Doomben.
Trained by David Vandyke, the daughter of All Too Hard made it four wins on the trot, controlling the race from the front and fending off all challengers in the straight.
The win not only confirmed her class but also stamped her as a leading contender for the Queensland Oaks, with her staying credentials and tactical versatility now firmly established.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy went straight to the front in the 2000m test of stamina but didn’t get things his own way.
Philia absorbed pressure throughout, first from Verona Rose and later in the back straight through to the home turn from Canny Queen.
She kicked clear at the top of the straight, only to be challenged late by the fast-finishing Jenni’s Meadow and Movin’ Out but repelled their advances much to the delight of racecaller David Fowler, who delivered his famous cry: ‘Too late, sister!’
Vandyke knows what it takes to win the Group 1 Queensland Oaks having won the 2022 edition with Gypsy Goddess.
The Caloundra trainer is targeting a second Oaks crown and has no doubt that Philia is the filly to get the job done.
“I knew she was 100% going into today, but the 2000m was the question mark,” Vandyke said.
“Kieran made it a staying test.
“He was taken on two or three times, and he didn’t care.
“She had to sort of sprint a few times during the race, and yet she still had the audacity there to kick at the top of the straight and hold off the late charge.
“Moving forward into the Oaks, when she’s got that amazing racing pattern where she can just get taken on and absorb pressure, she loves it.
“That was a month between runs so now I’ve got that nice two weeks, with a hard run today.
“Bring on the Oaks!”
McEvoy echoed Vandyke’s sentiment and believes that Philia will have no problem running a strong 2200m noting that she was more relaxed.
Ladbrokes wasted no time winding Philia into $4 and favourite for the Queensland Oaks.
War Machine Blows Them Away in BRC Sprint, Stradbroke Beckons
In a performance that oozed class and intent, War Machine announced himself as a serious Stradbroke Handicap contender with a dominant victory in the Group 3 BRC Sprint on Doomben Cup Day.
Trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the powerful gelding surged clear in the straight under a confident ride from Blake Shinn, putting a quality field to the sword and securing a ballot exemption into next month’s Group 1 feature.
It was a statement win, one that confirmed his upward trajectory and stamped him as a major player for the rest of the carnival.
Following Shinn’s Doomben Cup heroics, punters were keen to support the four-year-old son of Harry Angel and backed him into $2.40 at jump time.
War Machine left the 1350m beautifully which allowed Shinn to settle just behind the leading pair.
The champion hoop would have been giggling to himself as he enjoyed the run of the race before angling clear for the run home.
He put them to the sword with a dazzling turn of foot to race away for a 2.6 length win.
War Machine is a recent arrival at Lindsay Park after previously racing with the training partnership of Glen Thompson and the late Mike Moroney.
“That was an unbelievable effort by the horse,” Hayes said.
“We’ve only had him a short time.
“He came to us in incredible condition from Ballymore, and we’ve been very lucky to inherit him.
“He’s just gone from stride to stride.
“He’s a professional like that’s only his twelfth start, so he’s really a horse on the way up.
“We’re extremely excited to see what we can do in the Stradbroke.”
Shinn is in a good position to comment on War Machine’s Stradbroke Handicap credentials given he worked with the four-year-old gelding early in his career.
“We always thought he had Group One ability,” Shinn said.
“Mike (Moroney) ran him in the Golden Eagle and the Rupert Clarke, and he ran well.
“I think now he’s a bit more seasoned, and he’s going to be tested against a better level of horses and more seasoned, but I think today showcased that by winning against some good, handy opposition.
“If he runs in the Stradbroke, I think he’ll be hard to beat.”
Such was the dominance of War Machine’s BRC Sprint victory, Ladbrokes traders moved him to the top of the Stradbroke Handicap market as the $5 favourite.
Sunrays Shines Bright in Bill Carter Stakes
Exciting filly Sunrays confirmed her place among Queensland’s most promising juveniles with a dazzling display in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes on Doomben Cup Day.
Trained by Kelly Schweida, the daughter of Hellbent kept her unbeaten record at Doomben intact by jumping cleanly, travelling sweetly, and putting her rivals away with a sharp turn of foot in the straight.
It was a performance full of professionalism and polish, one that suggests she’s ready to take on tougher company as Stradbroke Season heats up.
Sunrays jumped well for Tommy Berry but with the speed on from the get-go, the multiple Group 1 winning hoop was happy to settle in the second half of the field.
She never spent a penny in the run so was able to let down powerfully in run home and win by just under two lengths.
A wave of support saw the two-year-old start as a $1.80 favourite.
At this time of year, it is only natural that the focus of any trainer or owner with an impressive juvenile turns to the Group 1 Ladbrokes JJ Atkins.
Schweida is as astute as they come, and Saturday’s victory has him considering a late nomination for a tilt at the JJ Atkins, something he has to discuss with owner Peter Moran.
Whatever the Eagle Farm trainer’s decision is, he’ll have the horse’s best interest at heart.
“It was arrogant,” Schweida said.
“She got back a bit further than I thought she might, but she looked like she was smoking, and they were hooking along early so you knew that she was going to be strong late.
“She looked like she had them covered on the point of the corner, so it was a good effort.
“We didn’t nominate for the JJ Atkins, but you can always pay a late nom.
“I’ll talk to Pete and see what he wants to do.
“He didn’t want to do a lot this preparation with her, because she’s done most of it from breaking in so she’s done a good job.”
Berry gave a glowing endorsement of Sunray’s future which may convince Schweida to push on.
“She’s a bomb proof sort of filly,” Berry said.
“She’s very adaptable, and she put them to the sword quite quickly.
“She still had a bit of a stargaze when she got to the front so she’s got more improvement left.”
Schweida trained a winning double on Doomben Cup Day with Metalart saluting in the opening race for him.
Tongue-Twister, Crowd-Silencer: Pulchritudinous Wins Big at Doomben
In a race that left punters scrambling for pronunciation guides and betting slips, Pulchritudinous delivered a jaw-dropping performance at Doomben, storming home to claim the Group 3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile.
Sent out at $31 odds, the Kiwi-bred mare silenced the doubters and the crowd with a late surge that turned the race on its head.
It was a win as elegant as her name, and just as unforgettable.
Co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been patient with the four-year-old mare since she joined their stable last year.
However, based on her impressive trial and first-up win, the Yulong Investments-owned daughter of Wrote looks to have recaptured the form that saw her win the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks and is ready to take Stradbroke Season by storm.
“She’s a lovely mare,” Bott said.
“We’re very fortunate to have her in the yard.
“She was very talented in New Zealand through her three-year-old career, but it’s just taken a little bit longer to get into a little bit of form and get her used to the conditions over here.
“I’m very thankful that Yulong is more than happy to be patient with her, and she’s come back in good shape, so that’s a nice first up run for her.
“I think she can open up a few more options going forward.
“We would like to give her a couple of runs up here and I think she’ll thrive in these conditions and do very well.
“I think today’s (Saturday’s) performance was going to dictate the which sort of path we went down, whether we looked up our sights a little bit more now, obviously trying to think about her residual value for Yulong going forward and see if we can add to that.
“But importantly, she’s back in good shape.”
While Bott did not give any specific plans for Pulchritudinous, races like the Ipswich Cup or the Caloundra Cup at the backend of the Carnival could be suitable targets for her.
One thing is certain; she won’t start $31 again any time soon.
Horses To Follow
Bill Carter Stakes
Obviously the winner Sunrays was ultra impressive and should be followed going forward. However, runner-up Chatterley is also worth following given she raced three-wide the trip but was still strong late.
Ladbrokes Chief De Beers
Manhood was very good winning a Stakes race at his first attempt where he worked in the middle stages but still proved too strong.
Cannonball stormed home in the quickest final 200m of the race suggesting that he could win the right race if he thinks like a gelding and not a stallion.
I thought it was a good return from The Big Goodbye who only tired in the closing stages to finish fourth. He’ll take great benefit from the run.
Darby McCarthy OAM 3YO
The winner Belegato was impressive but did enjoy a sweet run so was entitled to race as well as he did.
The Chris Anderson-trained Lead Me On caught the eye flashing through the field to finish 1.5 lengths third, clocking the quickest final 200m of the race. He’ll strip fitter second-up and will appreciate stepping up in trip.
Hella Fast got a long way back but once again found the line powerfully, registering the quickest final 400m to finish seventh. She’s screaming out for further.
Ally ran a similar race to Hella Fast and the same comment can be made for her.
Magic Million Fillies & Mares Mile
The winner Pulchritudinous was very impressive as described earlier and will pay to follow.
Poetic Drama ran a monster of a race to finish 1.7 lengths sixth. She settled a long way back from an outside barrier but savaged the line in the quickest final 200m of the race.
Locals Adiella and Exotique Miss ran ripping races for the locals while Queen Of Dragons was doing her best work late to finish fourth.
The Roses
Given the awesome effort and high praise trainer David Vandyke had for the winner Philia, she is definitely one to follow heading to the Queensland Oaks.
On face value Benagil was disappointing finishing tenth, but I wouldn’t be dropping off. She wasn’t out there to break records as her goal is the Oaks. Plus, she was bumped and poleaxed in the straight.
Movin’ Out will be primed for the Oaks after her fast finishing third. The outside barrier dictated that she had to settle last and that forced her to make her run early. She recorded the quickest final 800m and 400m of the race in an outstanding effort.
Jenni’s Meadow clocked the quickest final 200m of the race to finish second. She finished at a rate of knots from the second half of the field so will love the rise in distance next start.
Doomben Cup
No prizes for saying Antino is a horse to follow but he’s come of age and the sky is the limit for this guy.
Fawkner Park looks on track to defend his Q22 title after finishing off strongly to finish second. That followed a similar effort in the Hollindale Stakes.
BRC Sprint
War Machine will be hard to beat in the Stradbroke Handicap given the dominant display we saw on Saturday.
Pier was very good in his first Australian start to finish third and Far Too Easy ran out of his skin for second.
Of the others, I thought Abounding and Xidaki (quickest final 400m) did well to run on from the back for sixth and seventh respectively.