Everyone loves a rags to riches story and Awesome Boy is certainly that - Bindoon trainer Bruce Kay is heading into next week's $1.5 million G1 Railway Stakes with a red hot chance in the form of a five year old Awesome Rock gelding he picked up for $2,000.
Awesome Boy leads all the way to win the G3 R.J. Peters Stakes. Next stop G1 Railway Stakes! https://t.co/SQZsG2vJbL
— Racing WA TV (@RacingWATV) November 14, 2026
However, punters were all over another son of Awesome Rock in the G3 RJ Peters Stakes ( 1500m) - the race which is the “last chance saloon” for a golden ticket into the Railway- and that was the odds on favourite Rock Fest, a winner of four of his six starts and twice stakes placed behind the current Railway favourite King Of Light last season.
Rock Fest was expected to get the job done, and the only horse seriously backed to beat him was Peters Investments regally bred mare Western Miss ( Ghaiyyath) who went to post as second favourite.
With Brandon Louis in the saddle, Awesome Boy cantered down to the start at 8/1. What happened next simply stunned the huge Ascot crowd!
The field got away, and Awesome Boy crossed from barrier 8 to quickly assume control at the head of proceedings. Far from taking a moment to settle into a steadier tempo, Louis pressed his mount on, and the big gelding soon had the RJ Peters field strung out behind him like the proverbial Browns cows. Onwards they thundered down the back straight, with Awesome Boy, ears pricked, almost three lengths clear as heads turned for home.
His nearest rival was Like Clockwork ( Extreme Choice), who faced the unenviable task of carting them up to the tearaway leader. Three lengths in arrears of her were the rest of the field! Western Miss was never sighted, but Rock Fest was warming to the task - too late.
Awesome Boy had burned petrol early but the motor was still humming as he boldly rocketed into the straight. Those on the favourite watched eagerly for the leader to start coming back to them. It wasn’t happening.
The powerful Awesome Boy kept going like a machine, and crossed the line almost two lengths ahead of Chris Parnham and Rock Fest, who burst out of the pack to chase but could make no real inroads. Like Clockwork held third valiantly and Too Darn Stormy ( Too Darn Hot) ran on for a distant fourth.
This utterly dominant performance elevated Awesome Boy into the Railway field and gave him his first stakes win.
He is the seventh stakes winner for the G1 VRC Emirates ( now Champions Stakes) hero Awesome Rock ( Fastnet Rock), who sired the RJ Peters quinella, as well as last year’s Railway winner Watch Me Rock. The stallion now has a rare opportunity to sire consecutive winners of the famous Ascot mile.
“I’m a bit emotional,” said trainer Bruce Kay after the race.
“You know, I stuck with Brandon (Louis). We’ve had a few knocks along the way from people saying what are you doing. I said, well, he’s won $240, 000 on him, let’s see if we can add to it … and he did that today.”
“It will be interesting to see what we do next week - whether we will lead or not.”
“He can do it both ways … but, on that, I guess he has got to go forward!”
Awesome Boy was bred by Gold Front Thoroughbreds, who stand his sire. He was withdrawn from the 2023 Perth MM Yearling catalogue, and later sold privately to Kay for a mere $2,000.
The impressive five year old has been a long work in process, but has always been an incredibly consistent horse, rarely finishing outside the top five in any of his 19 starts before yesterday.
After claiming his first black type placing when runner up to star filly Hot And High in the RS Crawford Stakes at his first start this preparation, Awesome Boy was unplaced to her in the G3 Asian Beau - before he went to a previously unseen level!
His record now reads 20 starts, 5 - 5 - 2 for $350,060 in earnings.
Awesome Boy has a pedigree page that is light on black type. His winning dam Double Jester bears an interesting 3f X 3m cross of the great speedster Rory's Jester.
She produced four foals (three for Gold Front) all colts by Awesome Rock, of which Awesome Boy was the last.
This faith in the mating has now been repaid. Full brothers Rock Dee Jay and Rapid Rock have both won and are still racing, but possess nothing like Awesome Boy's level of ability.
Double Jester's last foal was a colt by Snippetson named I'm Jester Boy, who has had one start to date. The mare was returned to Awesome Rock but sadly died while carrying that foal.
Awesome Boy is bred
Danehill 3m x 4m
Rory's Jester x4f,4m
Sir Tristram 6m x 5m
His winning grand dam Margaret Elaine (Tuscany Flyer) was bred in NZ and produced only two foals. She was a daughter of Lucy's Dream by the obscure Sir Tristram son Sir Sydney, sire of a single stakes winner but a half brother to the G1 Epsom Hcp heroine La Neige.
Awesome Boy's family was long adept at producing winners without bringing forth any superstars. It descends from the imported Atlantico (GB) and is a branch of family 8-k to which belong the important colonial sire Chester, and champions Chautauqua, Leilani, Nothin’ Leica Dane and Zoustar.
Awesome Boy's branch descends from Bold Lily and this is the family of Bart's dual Caulfield Cup winner and beloved stayer, the great old grey Ming Dynasty!
Awesome Rock stands at Gold Front Thoroughbreds on a fee of $7,975
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