Seriously, How Bloody Good was the Bool!
WARRNAMBOOL, AUSTRALIA - MAY 07: Braidon Small riding Instigator defeats Arron Lynch riding Hit The Road Jack in in race 7, the Brandt Grand Annual Steeplechase during the Warrnambool Race Carnival at Warrnambool Racecourse on May 07, 2026 in Warrnambool, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)
The ‘Bool’ yet again delighted locals and racegoers with its electrifying atmosphere and fantastic racing across the three-day May Carnival. The event featured three premier jumps races—the Brierly, the Galleywood, and the Grand Annual—along with several highly contested flat races.
The Grand Annual is a true test of stamina and endurance, as runners face a gruelling 5500m and 33 steeples.
The two favourites, Hit The Road Jack and Duke of Bedford (last year’s winner), took the early lead and dictated the majority of the race. Outsider Bizini was an early faller; fortunately, both horse and jockey were unharmed.
With just four steeples remaining, Duke of Bedford was under pressure and quickly became detached from the leading trio of Hit The Road Jack, Instigator, and the "roughie" of the race, Gambu.
The trio cleared the final four obstacles unscathed. With the jumping over, it came down to the final 300m. The crowd roared as the main event reached its climax. Novice jumper Hit The Road Jack and "old-timer" Instigator were left to slug it out. They were neck-and-neck as they drew close to the line; there was no separating them, but something had to give.
The 12-year-old Instigator, in the final race of his career, lifted under the urging of jockey Braidon Small and fended off Hit The Road Jack to win the Grand Annual by a head.
Emotions were high for Braidon Small and his family. In 2019, Small was diagnosed with a brain tumor, forcing him to halt his career. After multiple surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy, he was given the all-clear to return to riding in 2023.
Braidon’s father, the legendary jockey Cyril Small, struggled for words as he proudly watched his son return to the winner's circle.
“I’m super proud of him, he’s been through a lot”, the legendary hoop said.
“Especially this last 12 months, he’s worked really hard on his weight to get it down”.
Braidon was chuffed with hearing the words, “Braidon Small has won the Grand Annual Steeplechase”, uttered by Racing.com’s Nigel Carmody.
“(They’re) words I probably thought I’d never heard anyone say with my name alongside it,” Small said.
While the best was certainly saved for last, the other days of the Carnival were action packed.
Day 1 was headlined by the champion jumper Stern Idol, who secured his second Brierly Steeplechase. He triumphed in a highly contested field that included Hit The Road Jack and Instigator—the two who would go on to quinella the Grand Annual on Day 3.
Earlier in the day, the Ciaron Maher-trained Ongatiti blew away the competition with a 10-length win in the TAB Maiden Hurdle. It was only his second ever race over the hurdles. Ongatiti will definetly be one to look out for in the future as he gets more experience as a jumper.
The highly talented three-year-old Oliveanotherday was the standout of Day 2. The gelding, trained by local Tom Dabernig, made it four wins on the trot by taking out the Listed Wangoom Handicap. After a beautiful run in transit, he peeled off the leaders' backs and never looked like being beaten. He clocked a time of 1:14.22, which rates +7.8 lengths better than the average 1200m time at Warrnambool.
The Galleywood was the focus of the jump races on Day 2. The 3200m contest featured five runners, with Highland Blaze starting as the pre-race favorite. However, The Storyteller was sent for home early at the 800m mark by jockey Luca Remondet. While Highland Blaze moved through the pack gallantly, the margin proved insurmountable. The Storyteller proved too strong, winning by a length.
