We've had plenty of drama and excitement at The Championships and the G1 action in Sydney ain't over yet, but this Saturday the eyes of the racing world will also turn to the west, where Ascot will host a monster meeting highlighted by WA's richest race, $5millionThe Quokka!
After a domination by the Ascot-loving eastern stater Overpass (Vancouver) early doors, local pride was restored last year by loveable hometown heroes Jokers Grin (Maschino) and trainer Bernie Miller.
Jokers Grin has since made the journey across the Nullabor where he now resides in the Chris Waller stable - and in preparation for his eastern states debut he recently ran third in a trial to none other than that original dual Quokka hero Overpass!
Though young in years, The Quokka has quickly established itself as a much anticipated spectacle amongst WA racing fans and industry players alike, and that appeal is growing nationwide - as it did with the “Big Daddy” of Australasian slot racing, The Everest.
Whatever the sport, the eternal attraction of a friendly interstate rivalry always adds that little frisson of excitement to proceedings, and Perth’s status as one of the world’s most isolated capital cities certainly boosts the “Us v Them” factor, but in the best way.
The timing of The,Quokka also ensures it can successfully act as a springboard for eastern states horses being aimed at rich spring targets, as their venture to the wild west seems to toughen them up and bring them on.
And then there’s the not-so-small matter of the $5 million bucks prizemoney on offer!
It’s proved to be a winning formula, and WA’s first slot race goes from strength to strength.
This year’s field is a cracker with a posse of five “raiders” headed by two last start Melbourne G1 winners - the reigning Newmarket champion Caballus and the William Reid hero Jigsaw, descending upon Perth in ominous form.
Alongside them on the plane were honorary Perthian Rey Magnerio (Magnus) returning to the scene of his Gold Rush heist in November, the Ciaron Maher trained Spywire (Trapeze Artist) and Hawkesbury-based Group warhorse Jedibeel (Savabeel).
Lined up to repel the invaders is a team of locals spearheaded by battle-hardened individuals like Rope Them In (Playing God) , Oscar’s Fortune (Rich Enuff) and Magnificent Andy (Magnus).
Two star three year old fillies in Luana Miss (Bivouac)and Talkanco (I'm All The Talk) add plenty of intrigue, as do lightly raced up and comers like Smooth Chino (Maschino) and West Star (Playing God).
There are four emergencies ready to chance their hand should any scratchings eventuate.
Perth's forecast is for beautiful mild Autumn weather up until Friday, when a light shower or two may eventuate, with more showers forecast for Saturday morning clearing to a sunny afternoon.
We won't be on anything worse than a Soft 5 even if it goes down to that, but certainly a track with more give than the firm Ascot surface of the summer carnival months - and we’ll take a look at who that might favour!
THE QUOKKA FINAL FIELD AND BARRIER DRAW
No – Horse – Trainer – Jockey – Barrier – Weight
1 – Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) – Cindy Alderson – Logan Bates 13 – 58.5kg
2 – Caballus (I Am Invincible) – Bjorn Baker – Tommy Berry – 9 – 58.5kg
3 – Rey Magnerio (Magnus) – Robbie Griffiths – Willie Pike – 5 – 58.5kg
4 – Magnificent Andy (Magnus) – Stephen Miller – Brad Parnham – 2 – 58.5kg
5 – Jedibeel (Savabeel) – Brad Widdup – Tyler Schiller – 7 – 58.5kg
6 – Spywire (Trapeze Artist) – Ciaron Maher – John Allen – 1 – 58.5kg
7 – Oscar's Fortune (Rich Enuff) – Dion Luciani – Patrick Carbery – 12 – 58.5kg
8 – Rope Them In (Playing God) – Steve Wolfe – Shaun McGruddy – 10 – 58.5kg
9 – West Star (Playing God) – Simon Miller – Clint Johnston-Porter – 4 – 58.5kg
10 – Sisu Warrior (Gold Standard) – Dion Luciani – Shaun O'Donnell – 8 – 58.5kg
11 – Smooth Chino (Maschino) – Indianna Weinert – Mark Zahra – 11 – 56.5kg
12 – Talkanco (I’m All the Talk) – Daniel and Ben Pearce – Lucy Fiore – 3 – 54.5kg
13 – Luana Miss (Bivouac) – Trevor Andrews – Chris Parnham – 6 – 54.5kg
14e – Repossession (Sessions) – Chris and Michael Gangemi – 58.5kg
15e – Cessation (Sessions) – Tiarnna Noske – 56.5kg
16e – Cut The Talk (Oratorio) – Tim Crosby – 58.5kg
17e – Sky Duke (Playing God) – Neville Parnham – 58.5kg
Let's take a closer look at the 2026 Quokka contenders
THE RAIDERS
CABALLUS 5YO G ( I Am Invincible x Calming Influence by Commands)
Slot: RAM Racing Syndicate #1
Fresh from his maiden G1 win in the Newmarket Hcp, Caballus jets in with the glamour formline having also placed first up this prep at WFA in Sydney behind the Royal Ascot bound supermare Jolistar. Trainer Bjorn Baker is an old hand at raiding the west for sprint riches. Can Caballus take the baton from the stable's dual Quokka hero Overpass and run with it?
Overpass also ran in the RAM Racing slot when he won The first two Quokkas of 2023 /24.
Third up but freshened. Slight query - his second up form is his best, that was the blistering Newmarket run - can he reproduce that now at WFA?
The five year old son of I Am Invincible is a genuine fast track horse and prior to the Newmarket the best win of his career was an explosive three length romp at Doomben (carrying 60kg) in the G3 George Moore Stakes.
The road to the top of the nation's sprinting ranks hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for Caballus.
He was a $1 million Inglis Easter yearling, falling to the bid of Tom Magnier no less, when he was purchased from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft.
The handsome Vinnie colt was broken in and educated at Coolmore and initially raced for the global giant and partners - but just a year later he was picked up by Derby Racing via Inglis Digital for $315,000 and placed in the Baker stable.
After initial success in the G3 Eskimo Prince things went awry and it was time for the ultimate gear change! Equally as important, the horse had a wind operation and since then he's been on an upward curve.
Bred by Reg Ryan, Caballus the best of six winners from six to race for the G3 placed Commands mare Calming Influence from the immediate family of the globe-trotting Australian-bred sprinter War Artist, a G1 winner in SAF and runner up in the G1 Golden Jubilee in GB.
The damline of Caballus goes back to a little mare called Snoot - she was the ancestress of WA’s great champion Northerly, and also of Overpass - so the WA force should be strong with this one!
I Am Invincible has sired G1 Winterbottom winners Viddora ( dam bred on the same Eight Carat sire / Zeditave mare cross as Caballus) and Voodoo Lad.
Has won stakes races on soft 5 and recently trialled well on heavy, likes firm but seems to handle a bit of give - not too much though, only the unlikely event of significant rain would seem to pose an issue. Punters have him a narrow Quokka favourite at $4.20.
REY MAGNERIO 6YO G ( Magnus x Luchardo by Testa Rossa)
Slot: Sportsbet
Big Rey returns to the scene of his 2025 Gold Rush triumph / fast closing Winterbottom third, second up and dangerous after his sixth in the G1 William Reid to Quokka rival Jigsaw.
The $2 million man Rey Magnerio is a dual G2 winner and now twice G1 placed. He loves it here and won his only start when second up this distance, at others he has placed including the G1 Oakleigh Plate
Bred by South Australia’s A & J Nitschke, remarkably Rey Magnerio was bred from a mare who was a $1,000 online buy for his hobby breeders and is a three quarter brother to the G3 Naturalism Stakes winner Magnapal.
Their dam Luchardo was a modest country winner but was by noted broodmare sire Testa Rossa from a good family.
Rey Magnerio was sold privately as a late two year old to trainers Robbie Griffiths and Matt de Kock and made his racetrack debut just a week shy of his fourth birthday when he bolted in.
This patient handling and the fact that the get of his sire Magnus have remarkable longevity, means there's plenty of life left in this gelding's legs and he may in fact be only just now reaching his full powers.
His Winterbottom third was on soft 5 so he clearly handles it and like Caballus chances are not really affected unless there is a genuine downpour on race morning!
Equicast and William Pike ( who rode him to success last visit) are both fitted for Rey, one of these things is not like the other in terms of what punters look for in a form guide. Rey Magnerio is third favourite at $4.60.
JEDIBEEL 6YO G ( Savabeel x Starry by O'Reilly)
Slot: Trackside NZ / Perth Racing
Tough campaigner Jedibeel has his first start in the west and arrives in fine form having placed in the G1 Galaxy to Marhoona last start off a gutsy first up fourth in the Oakleigh Plate.
The Brad Widdup trained galloper scored his biggest win in the G2 Challenge Stakes 1000m and was a close second to subsequent Winterbottom hero Libertad in the WFA Victory Stakes 1200m in May.
Jedibeel has a short but powerful sprint and a good barrier is key to his chances. He's drawn 7 which should see him get his opportunity to figure in the finish. Third up record is solid but no placings last two times at elite level.
Bred by Waikato Stud out of their unraced O’Reilly mare Starry, Jedibeel is a full brother to the good stayer Starrybeel - but he is also a close relation to Savabeel's champion sprinting son I Wish I Win!
Jedibeel was purchased by Widdup as a yearling for $190,000 at the Sydney Classic Sale from the draft of Cannon Haynes Stud.
The galloper was last seen third up in The Everest, finishing 3.6 lengths of Ka Ying Rising with only Magic Time behind him but was far from disgraced.
Placed in leadup run on a Soft 6 and seems capable on anything but the wettest tracks so rain is definitely no problem for the son of Savabeel and he has his admirers at $13
JIGSAW 7YO G ( Manhattan Rain x Demandz by Lonhro)
Slot: Ladbrokes
Cindy Alderson hits town with the rejuvenated Jigsaw, winner of his past six including the G1 Sistema Railway Stakes in NZ and the G1 William Reid at Caulfield where he beat a top class field, with regular hoop and talented apprentice Logan Bates along for the ride.
A bold going horse with a real sense of character about him, Jigsaw is easy to like and is looking for four straight wins - he won fourth up last prep.
With more than $2.9m in earnings from his15 wins and 5 placings in 39 starts, Jigsaw was bred by Mrs LB Alderson from the winning Lonhro mare Demandz, a relation of multiple G1 heroine Stefi Magnetica.
The elevation of this horse into the top tier sprint ranks is a dream come true for the Alderson family and their small stable, and their powerful front runner seems bound to inject a furious tempo into the Quokka even if nothing else does - and weight doesn't seem to slow him down too much.
His sire Manhattan Rain now resides at Geisel Park Stud in WA. The half brother to Redoute's Choice by Encosta De Lago is that rare beast, the sire of a Golden Slipper winner that trained on to further G1 victory ( She Will Reign) and a G1 Oaks winner ( Benagil).
The progeny of Manhattan Rain have won everything from the G1 Moir Stakes 1000m to the VRC St Leger 2800m. His classy son Man Crush is a dual stakes winning and many times stakes placed sprinter in Perth - his little brother Boy Crush will go around in the Karrakatta Plate on Saturday.
Jigsaw is the fourth G1 winner for his sire and has drawn barrier 13. How much petrol will he need to burn to cross and lead or will the opposition risk letting him get there easy? Tactics will be fascinating!
Won the G1 Sistema in NZ on soft 5 and has a mixed record on wet tracks, but should be unworried by a few passing showers. Jigsaw is second favourite at $4.40.
SPYWIRE 4G (Trapeze Artist x Secret Trail by Denman)
Slot: RAM Racing Syndicate #2
An impressive win in the Country Discovery at Ballarat on Good Friday saw promising galloper Spywire locked into RAM Racing’s second slot.
Spywire will be attempting to do what the great mare Bella Nipotina failed to do on two occasions, and that’s to give trainer Ciaron Maher his first Quokka victory! The mighty Bella finished third and fourth in the first two editions of The Quokka.
The gelding beat a very good field at Ballarat over 1100m, the same distance at which he won The Syndicate on the Gold Coast during the Magic Millions carnival.
Blessed with tactical speed and having drawn the rails, Spywire for Johnny Allen should be well placed to be there when those whips are cracking.
Bred by Widden Stud and Mr R Anderson, the handsome Spywire was a $520,000 purchase for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / Group One Bloodstock from Widden's MM Gold Coast draft and races for a big group of owners with Widden retaining an interest.
From 19 starts the progressive four year old son of Trapeze Artist has won six and earned more than $1.6 million.
Spywire has won on soft 6 but overall form on soft is a bit hit and miss and he would probably prefer dry. Markets have him at $17.
BEST of the LOCALS
LUANA MISS 3YO Filly (Bivouac x Little Bit Ditsy by Bel Esprit)
Slot: TABtouch
The reigning Placid Ark heroine was the first horse to earn a slot in the 2026 Quokka and will be the first runner in the race for leading local trainer Trevor Andrews.
She became the fourth filly to gain a Quokka berth following Amelia's Jewel (2023) Petula and Super Smink (2024) and she will meet the fifth, Talkanco, on Saturday.
The scintillating Luana Miss has won four of her eight starts and resumed with a fast closing fourth in the Roma Cup behind Rope Them In.
She finished her last campaign with a fighting 2.3 length 7th to Libertad in the G1 Winterbottom Stakes, so she has prior exposure to this sort of pressure and will naturally be improved. Luana Miss is a backmarker and possesses a lethal turn of foot at her best, and it's no surprise she has plenty of backers to say she can go one better than Amelia's Dream and become the Quokka's youngest winner.
Bred by Clive Atwell of Darling View Thoroughbreds, Luana Miss was a $110,000 Magic Millions Perth purchase from the Western Breeders Alliance for her trainer.
She is one of four stakes winners for Darley's beautifully bred young sire Bivouac, a three time G1 winner 1200-1400m.
Damsire Bel Esprit - well he gave us Black Caviar but it didn't end there, Bel is the broodmare sire of many a fine sprinter miler.
Andrews has openly declared Luana Miss “a G1 winner in the making”
The filly has never raced on rain affected ground. Top jockey Chris Parnham takes the ride and she is the best backed of the locals at $7.50.
TALKANCO 3YO Filly ( I'm All The Talk x Calianco by California Dane)
Slot: Woodbridge &JLS Thoroughbreds
The second filly contesting the ‘26 Quokka is last season's WA Champion 2YO, who won the G2 Karrakatta Plate on this day last year.
Trainers Dan and Ben Pearce are another stable having their first Quokka runner with this gallant daughter of the ill-fated Stratum son I'm All The Talk.
Talkanco is more exposed than her fellow three year old Luana Miss and arrives here after a succession of “honourable defeats” - 4th in the Bunbury Stakes, 2nd in the Pinjarra Classic, 2nd in the WA Breeders Classic, Champion Fillies and Burgess Queen over distances ranging from 1200-1600m.
Freshened for this, by far her biggest assignment - Talkanco will need to elevate to get into the finish here, but she may well be well suited by a high pressure 1200m.
Significantly, Talkanco is one of only a handful of elite fillies to complete the Gimcrack / Karrakatta double at two, the last being Amelia's Jewel in 2022 who was twice runner up to Overpass in the Quokkas of 2023 as a 3YO and in 2024.
The filly was bred by prominent industry identity Ian Riley and races for her breeder under his Woodbridge Thoroughbreds banner for a group of co-owners which includes Pearce Racing.
She is out of the speedy California Dane mare Calianco from a precocious family. Talkanco was unplaced at her only start on soft 5- but that was still a good run and second up, so hardly definitive - but breeding says firm preferred. Punters aren't keen and she's a $51 chance.
SMOOTH CHINO 4YO G ( Maschino x Amorei by Gingerbread Man)
Slot: Unibet / Chief Racing
Smooth Chino suffered his first defeat in seven starts when first up in the Roma Cup, when he looked the winner but was unable to hold out the finishing burst of Quokka rival Rope Them In.
His first stakes win came in December last year when he ran outstanding time ( just a fraction outside the Ascot 1200m track record) to win the Listed Black Heart Bart Stakes. Prior to that, Smooth Chino had created a huge impression when storming home from the back of the field to take the MM WA Trophy at Pinjarra.
The exciting chestnut was a $40,000 Perth MM buy for his Albany based trainer Indianna Weinert and is her first stakes winner.
Smooth Chino was bred by K and M Reilly and S Dunn from the unraced Amorei, a daughter of the very good WA sire Gingerbread Man (Shamardal).
A win would be a dream result for his country-based trainer but we saw it last year with Joker's Grin! coincidentally another by the mighty Maschino
Smooth Chino has trialled well on soft 5 but never raced on it, the progeny of his sire usually don't mind a bit of give.
The big chestnut has that presence about him that good horses do, and has the benefit of a weight drop plus Mark Zahra taking the reins which probably balances out a less than ideal barrier 11.
Kept safe at $10.
WEST STAR 4YO G ( Playing God x Jester Derriere by Patronize)
Slot: Magic Bloodstock / Magic Millions / Bangaloe Stud
The first of two Quokka representatives flying the flag for WA champon sire Playing God, West Star was seventh in last year's Quokka and is yet to find form after a short and unsuccessful eastern states campaign in the spring for trainer Simon Miller.
Second up here following an unlucky return in the Roma Cup that was better than it looks on paper, West Star is attempting to recapture the form which saw him hailed one of WA's most exciting horses in training earlier in his 12 start career - which has so far netted him five wins including a dominant G3 victory in the Northam Stakes last May.
That came after a torrid run in last year's Quokka where he got into a bumping match with a couple and returned with an abrasion above the eye, but still finished seventh of thirteen.
Simon Miller has always maintained that his gelding has “X factor” . Is he about to reveal it?
West Star was a $175,000 buy for Miller from the Western Breeders Alliance draft at Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale,
He was bred by Clive Atwell from the winning Patronize mare Jester Derriere, and his granddam is by Real Jester - notably also the broodmare sire of Quokka rival, Playing God's Rope Them In, so that’s obviously a nick that clicks!
He was twice a winner at Belmont on rain affected ground early in his career, and the Playing Gods usually quite like it, so I'd guess that any rain enhances West Star’s prospects.
Still lightly raced, drawn perfectly and with a top local jockey on board - I think West Star is a bit of a Quokka dark horse at $19.
ROPE THEM IN 5YO G ( Playing God x Lead Rope by Real Jester)
Slot: Rapid Equine Breeding
Rope Them In is a horse who can produce an astonishing finish and he used it to good effect when claiming a last stride victory first up in the Roma Cup. Trained by Albany legend Steve Wolfe, the son of Playing God will be suited by the high speed and high pressure of this race and always runs well second up - significantly, this will be only the second time in his career he has gone to 1200m second up - the last time was In May 2014 when he beat the gifted mare Generosity who is now a stakes winner in Sydney.
Last preparation, Rope rocketed home under 61kg when second up and went down by a nose to the subsequent G1 Railway winner Watch Me Rock (57kg) in the G3 Asian Beau Stakes.
Rope Them In was an unlucky 4th in the 2024 Winterbottom and filled the same placing to Libertad last year.
His trainer has admitted that a flat performance in last year's Quokka was the result of the horse not being right all preparation.
Commercial Bloodstock Agents (FBAA) purchased the $1.4 million plus earner for just $60,000 from the Willaview Park draft at Perth Magic Millions.
At peak form, if Rope Them In doesn't get too far out of his ground from barrier 10 in this tough company - or conversely if there is some kind of insane speed battle going on in front - he can certainly threaten here.
He’s had 8 starts on soft 5 or 6 and won the only time he's seen soft at Ascot. The other runs yielded six wins and one placing though it has to be said none of these were stakes races. Still, a bit of rain around probably - at the very least - holds no fears for Rope Them In!
Punters are lukewarm though and he is at $18
MAGNIFICENT ANDY 7 G ( Magnus x Yaloginda by Trade Fair) Trucking Nominees
Slot: Morton Racing
“Andy” has one G3 and one Listed win to his name but that stat doesn't do the remarkable sprinter miler justice. In 2024 he won The Joey on this day when first up and later in the year was a close fourth in the G1 Railway and second to champ Western Empire in the Gold Rush. Last season the seven year old was in remarkably consistent form resuming with a one length fourth in the Quokka at 80/1 ( same scenario here) and runner up in three G2s thereafter before a well deserved breakthrough in the inaugural Goldfields slot race, The Golden Saddle. His campaign ended with a 7th in the Gold Rush to Rey Magnerio.
The old boy is best fresh and doesn't know how to run a poor race. The earner of just under $ 2 million, Magnificent Andy will always give you a run for your money.
The SJ Miller trained son of Magnus is a homebred for Kalgoorlie local David Reid and races for his Trucking Nominees in the Morton Racing slot.
Has won at Belmont on soft 5 including the G3 Hyperion Stakes though his overall record suggests he doesn’t generally favour it.
Current price $51 but probably blows out to the cricket score odds of last year.
QUOKKA TIPS
Top tip : I think the Quokka might be hopping back over the state border this year with the hard-hitting REY MAGNERIO, who will receive every possible with The Wizard on board from the perfect barrier and clearly loves the track.
I am a big CABALLUS fan but am slightly concerned about barrier / speed wars / rain, ditto Jigsaw, so I'll throw in JEDIBEEL as a value bet. He will be suited by Ascot's short straight and with Tyler Schiller to ride - if he can get an economical run from barrier 7 and be produced at the right time could spring a surprise!
Best locals: going with WEST STAR at a bit of a price to get a gun ride from Johnston- Porter, find his best form and figure in the top three at double figure odds. Horse on the up SMOOTH CHINO with a weight drop and good old ROPE THEM IN next best.
The stage is set - who will add their name to The,Quokka honour roll?
