The Goodwood served up a thriller to close out the Adelaide carnival, and now it's the Sunshine State's turn to host one of the nation's iconic sprint races as we gear up for the running of the $1.5million G1 Doomben 10,000, the opening feature of the 2026 Queensland carnival.
Inaugurated by the pre-merger BTC as the marquee event at its grand opening of Doomben racecourse in 1933 - and until 1945 known as the Doomben Newmarket Hcp - the first edition was won by three year old Wallun.
Wallun's breeding was interesting - a sneak preview of the future Australian bloodstock landscape! He was sired by the well related import Sir Dighton, a son of Bayardo who was a half brother to Etoile - the mare who would become the grand dam of Star Kingdom's sire Stardust, when she was mated to a grandson of Bayardo, Hyperion.
Wallun's dam traced to Maria, from whose line the future Australian breedshaper Bletchingly, by Star Kingdom's great son Biscay, would spring.
In just the second year of its existence, the race was taken out by the legendary Queensland galloper Lough Neah, the first in a long line of turf greats to win this famous race.
In 1946 the mighty Bernborough fittingly won the very first edition named the “Doomben 10,000,” to celebrate its boosted prize purse of ten thousand pounds, which made it the richest sprint in Australia at the time.
It was one of twelve wins at the highest level in Melbourne, Sydney and Queensland in the space of twelve months for the freakish son of Emborough which included the Newmarket under 63kg and the Doomben Cup carrying 68, as well as a string of WFA victories.
Bernborough broke down at the end of 1946 and was sold for stud duties to Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky, where he was a successful sire of 22 stakes winners. The great Queenslander became an Australian Racing Hall Of Fame Inductee in 2001.
The wonder from the west Aquanita stormed to victory in 1961 and another champion to win that decade was Winfreux. At the end of the ‘60s it was Tommy Smith's fine sprinter Black Onyx who claimed the first of back to back Doomben 10,000s.
In typical TJ fashion, after his colt's first success as a three year old Tommy set him the task of emulating none other than Bernborough by lining him up in the Doomben Cup.
Black Onyx was great but not quite that great, and he came second. Bernborough remains the only horse to have done the double.
In all, TJ Smith trained a remarkable six Doomben 10,000 winners - Apple Bay (1955), The Tempest (64), Black Onyx (69/70), Ideal Planet (82) and Lord Ballina (85).
Baguette, Maybe Mahal, Blue's Finito and Manikato were the standout Doomben 10,000 winners of the 1970s.
The race was still a handicap in 1979 when the three year old Manikato carried 58kg to a famous victory.
He was first up in the 10,000 after a three month spell imposed by serious illness, and jockey Gary Willetts had understandable concerns.
Approaching the winning post and having disposed of high class opposition like Imposing and Steel Blade, “The Man” was under siege from 100-1 shot Casca carrying 11kg less - but Willetts didn't pull the whip on his best mate. He knew the horse was that rare spirit which would give 150% even when not at his best.
Of course Manikato held on to win, and in doing so he equalled the weight carrying record set by Star Kingdom's magnificent colt Baguette who had kicked off the decade in 1971.
The remarkable galloper Sovereign Red returned from dual Derby victories at three to take the Doomben 10,000 as a four year old in 1981.
Prince Trialia became the second dual winner with back to back wins in 1990/91. The beloved Chief De Beers became the first to win non-consecutive editions in 1995 and 1998, a feat which has never been repeated.
Two memorable Doomben 10,000 “hometown heroes” left us for the fabled greener pastures recently.
The first was mighty Falvelon, the dual winner of 2001/2002, one of the very first Aussies to showcase our brand of speed on the international stage.
The blindingly fast son of Alannon competed in three consecutive Hong Kong Sprints, winning the first two and placing third in 2002.
Falvelon lived all his life at Glenlogan Park, where he was humanely laid to rest last month at the grand age of 29.
He is buried there beside his old rival on the track and in the stud - and his good friend Show A Heart, whom he beat to win the Doomben 10,000 of 2002. You know that's exactly how the old boys would have wanted it.
Then just last week came the sad news of the untimely loss of Spirit Of Boom at Eureka Stud.
The 2014 Doomben 10,000 was one of the best, giving us the unique spectacle of half brothers Spirit Of Boom and Temple Of Boom duking out a thrilling G1 finish! Spirit won by a short neck, and warhorse Buffering was only a head away in third.
The well travelled Spirit Of Boom won the G1 William Reid Stakes in Melbourne and placed in the G1 Winterbottom Stakes in Perth for trainer Tony Gollan.
He was bred by Eureka Stud from one of their own carefully nurtured families, and from the moment he commenced service at his birthplace he was a remarkable success.
Newgate, Arrowfield and Coolmore all got out their checkbooks and tried to buy Spirit Of Boom once his first crop of juveniles had blazed across the track, winning everything in their path. Nothing doing. He was the crowning achievement and proud flagship of Eureka Stud.
Following his sudden passing at the age of 18, Spirit Of Boom's G1 winning son Jonker will step into dad's big shoes when he relocates from Aquis Farms to Eureka in the near future, and the stud also retain shares in some promising sons yet to race.
In 1997 the Doomben 10,000 became a WFA contest and until 2017 it was run over 1350m. It has been a G1 race since 1980.
2007 provided one of the best remembered 10,000 finishes, when champion filly Gold Edition with the master of pace Jimmy Cassidy aboard led all the way and was hailed the winner - until Takeover Target hit top gear and swept the gallant grey aside.
Buffering had just missed in 2012 when Sea Siren became the first - and still the only - filly to win the race.
Cult hero Apache Cat memorably stormed down the Doomben straight to record his first 10,000 by five lengths in 2008 and returned to claim another the next year.
Redzel in 2017 and Giga Kick in 2023 are the two Everest winners to date who have collected a Doomben 10,000.
Other notable winners of more recent years include Bel Esprit, Impending, Hot Danish, Sea Siren, Beaded, Boban, English, Eduardo, Mazu, Bella Nipotina and last year's heroine Sunshine In Paris.
Who can win this year? Check out Breeding to Win - Doomben 10,000 for our tips.
