Races

Runner by Runner: The Quokka

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

1. Jigsaw (58.5kg)

Trainer: Cindy Alderson
Jockey: Logan Bates
Barrier 13

Would have loved a better barrier, and more to the point would have loved to have drawn inside of Caballus, but this rejuvenated galloper is breathing fire for Cindy Alderson as he looks to extend his winning sequence to 7. After winning the Hareeba Stakes at Mornington in April of 2023 he didn’t win another race for 902 days until the 2025 Apache Cat Classic (1200m Handicap) in October 2025. Since then he has remarkably been undefeated, winning his next six on end: Group Two McEwen Stakes (1200m WFA), The Meteorite (1200m SWP), Group One Sistema Railway at Ellerslie (1200m SWP), Yulong Vobis Gold Sprint (1200m Quality Handicap) and most recently the Group One William Reid Stakes (1200m WFA). You would think after the barrier draw he has to be content with breezing outside of Caballus but breaking down the early sections of his races I wouldn’t be completely ruling out a scenario where he has a dip at crossing! His first 100m out of the machine is blisteringly quick and in a world in which he did somehow cross to the fence he would be a lot shorter than a $4 chance. He’s a 3x WFA winner, a 10x 1200m, a 2x Group One winner, he races on speed – he makes a lot of sense.

2. Caballus (58.5kg)

Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Jockey: Tommy Berry
Barrier: 9

Has a feature race record that contains a Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m 3yo SWP), Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m, Quality Handicap), a Group 3 Chatham Stakes (1200m Handicap), a Group 3 George Moore Stakes (1200m, Quality Handicap) and last start a Group One Newmarket (1200m, Handicap) beating Gallant Son, Angel Capital, Sepals and most importantly to this analysis: Tentyris. Sectionally he was rated perfectly on that occasion by Craig Newitt when afforded a decent breather in the middle stages before holding off the late challengers. For those looking to poke holes in the favourite, he is likely to cop a fair bit more pressure here between Jigsaw, Spywire and Smooth Chino and most interestingly, he is yet to really prove himself at WFA. He has raced at WFA on five occasions: 5-0-0-0 and in those races he has SPs of $34, $61, $61, $10 and $13, with his fifth beaten 1.1L Rothfire in the City Tatt’s Lightning (Group 3, 1200m WFA) clearly the best of his efforts. He has split Jolistar and Lady Shenandoah in an Expressway and won a Newmarket in his two runs this preparation, there’s no doubting he deserves favouritism / equal favouritism, but his WFA record is definitely food for thought…

3. Rey Magnerio (58.5kg)

Trainer: Robbie Griffiths
Jockey: William Pike
Barrier: 5

Only really started to emerge at the top level as a 5 year old and now has wins in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1200 – Handicap), Group Two Rubiton Stakes (1100 – SWP), Group Two Caulfield Sprint (1000 – Handicap) and as we’ll all remember the winner of the 2025 Gold Rush at Ascot in December beating Cosmic Crusader and Overpass. This campaign he attacks the Quokka second-up having resumed at Caulfield in the Group One William Reid when finishing 1.37L behind Jigsaw in the 1200m WFA feature. He has had a barrier trial at Cranbourne over 800m in between and will line-up 28 days between runs with William Pike aboard and what looks to be a very similar map to his third placing in the Winterbottom behind Libertad and Overpass. According to Racing Australia the gear changes will read: Equicast (On) – but for those who are concerned, keep in mind that he had the Equicast on in the Winterbottom and Gold Rush in 2025. There will be a sizeable Pikey following going into the Quokka and on form and map it’s hard to talk anyone out of having an eachway ticket on Rey.

4. Magnificent Andy (58.5kg)

Trainer: Stephen Miller
Jockey: Brad Parnham
Barrier: 2

Simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race? He won his first ratings race (a 66+) at start number 15 and has since gone on to amass nearly $2,000,000 in prize money and provide connections with a Listed Hannans Handicap, a Joey, a Group 3 Hyperion and the inaugural $1,000,000 Golden Saddle. You could make the case that the best run of his career was  in the 2024 Gold Rush when splitting Western Empire and Super Smink and the fact he is back for a second tilt at the Quokka is a testament to his consistency and longevity. He has finished within 3L of the winner his last 13 outings and in 2025 was 1L off Joker’s Grin, Headwall and Generosity in fourth at 80-1 off the back of 2x trials and 133 days. In 2026 it’s 2x trials, off 126 days and he’ll likely jump somewhere around 80-1 again. Winning chance? No. Repeated surprise Top 4? Would be very Andy.

5. Jedibeel (58.5kg)

Trainer: Brad Widdup
Jockey: Tyler Schiller 
Barrier: 7

Won the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m WFA) at Randwick on 8 March 2025 beating Kimochi, I Am Me, Uncommon James and Mazu in what has to this date been his crowning moment. Since that point he has had a further 10 runs, of which 7 of those 10 have been at Group One Level. First-up this campaign he resumed in the Oakleigh Plate when fourth behind Tropicus, Hedged and Gallant Son (back in seventh was key rivals Spywire) and second-up off the same 28 day spacing as he brings into the Quokka he ran an almighty second splitting 3 year old Marhoona and Mazu in The Galaxy (1100m Group One, Handicap). There was only 2L first to last in that event, and the overall time was 4L slower than average for that feature event, however, visually he was enormous in defeat. He’s a WFA winner, he’s got a barrier to work with and they’ll put the speed and pressure on to suit. His runner-up performance at Eagle Farm in the Victory Stakes to Libertad even reads up well for locals trying to line him up against the WA horses.

6. Spywire (58.5kg)

Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: John Allen
Barrier: 1

Has really come of age and burst onto the scene as a 4 year old in the last 6 months. He’s having his 8th start of a preparation that dates back to 22 November 2025 where he resumed in a BM78 (~WA 66+) as a m80 rater and since then has won another two races, including a Magic Millions Sprint at WFA over 1100m on the Gold Coast and then most recently The Country Discovery at Ballarat by a near 1.5L margin, leading throughout and recording a career Personal Best, which whilst at this stage not quite up to the Elite, he is at least improving with each run and seemingly progressive. There has to be a query on the quality and depth of the Country Discovery as a form reference heading into the Quokka, as it was an 86+ handicap (compare to the Newmarket that Caballus comes through which was a 102+) but he’s drawn to stalk the speed and enjoy all the favours. Not convinced he’s a winning chance, but map wise a Top 4 hope.

7. Oscar’s Fortune (58.5kg)

Trainer: Dion Luciani
Jockey: Patrick Carbery
Barrier: 12

Was at his best as a 3 year old when running second to Overpass in the 2023 Winterbottom (54.5kg) before returning as a Roma Cup winner before finishing third to Overpass and Amelia’s Jewel in the 2023 Quokka (56.5kg). He then commenced his wider Australian travels which included a South Australian trip for the Goodwood and onto Victoria for a Schillaci before below par runs in the McEwen, Century and Meteorite Stakes. He just wasn’t the same horse in Victoria and completely lost his way. Dion Luciani has done a marvellous job to revive his career and his win in the Rock Magic and third placing to key rivals Rope Them In and Smooth Chino in the Roma Cup (after enduring a wide run without cover throughout) suggest that he is back to his very best and the sectional data backs it up, clocking the fastest L800, 600, 400 & 200. Whether his best is good enough to win a Quokka most will doubt, however, it is good enough to finish Top 4/5.

8. Rope Them In (58.5kg)

Trainer: Steve Wolfe
Jockey: Shaun McGruddy
Barrier: 10

Continues to improve with age. He was a quality 2 and 3 year old, however, it wasn’t until the blinkers went on for the first time in his Group 3 Colonel Reeves win that he really came of age. From that point he has won three races: the Bluff Knoll, a Listed Crawford Stakes and then first-up this campaign a Roma Cup, and in along the journey he has finished fourth in the 2024 Winterbottom beaten under 2L Overpass, fifth in the 2024 Gold Rush beaten 2L Western Empire, split a pair of subsequent Group One winners in Watch Me Rock and Cosmic Crusader (with 4kg more than Western Empire and 7kg more than Cosmic Crusader) and fourth in the 2025 Winterbottom beaten 1.5L by Libertad, Overpass and Rey Magnerio. He has had well documented and publicised struggles with minor soundness issues from time to time but if Steve Wolfe has him at 100%, and his Roma Cup win suggests that’s again the case, then he’s a genuine Top 4 player with the right run. There’s no doubt fresh is best for Rope Them In, but it’s hard to get that Asian Beau run of your head.

9. West Star (58.5kg)

Trainer: Simon A Miller
Jockey: Clint Johnston-Porter 
Barrier: 4

Did we learn anything from his Roma Cup run? No. “Unable to secure clear running from on straightening and when improving onto the heels of a tiring runner passing the 200m was angled outwards and raced in restricted room for a short distance before gaining clear running thereafter” – trainwreck? Yes. There will be a few doubters remaining however, because while he was travelling better than horses like Toropa, Cut The Talk and Acromantula he didn’t exactly savage the line once clear like a Luana Miss who was also very stiff in the same event. In the end, he had no momentum, he copped more than one decent hip and shoulder and CJP looked after him in the concluding stages. Not an ideal lead-in to a Quokka but on the bright side it certainly wasn’t a gut buster! Like Oscar’s Fortune, it’s just great to see him back happy and healthy after a Victorian trip where he raced 5+L below his best.

10. Sisu Warrior (58.5kg)

Trainer: Dion Luciani 
Jockey: Shaun O’Donnell 
Barrier: 8

Has produced career peak ratings first-up in his last two preparations, winning near identical races! On 28 June 2025 he won a 78+ 1200 first-up at Pinjarra for Grant & Alana Williams and on 1 April 2026 he won a 72+ 1200 first-up at Ascot for new trainer Dion Luciani. The fact is simple: he would need to produce a ~7L spike to his previous PB to finish in Top 4. Taking nothing away from his first-up win, but he beat Horcrux (m77 and a Class 3) and Immortal Bliss (m84), if he was to head to the Joey he would jump a ~30-1 pop, instead he heads to the Quokka and will jump closer to 300-1. The change of environment clearly worked for him, the gear change (visors off, winkers on) clearly worked for him, but plain and simple – this is beyond him.

11. Smooth Chino (58.5kg)

Trainer: Indianna Weinart 
Jockey: Mark Zahra 
Barrier: 11

Jumped $3 (on the second line of betting) in a Mt Barker maiden over 1000m on debut on 19 January 2025. He then progressed to a C1 at Bunbury before really announcing himself as a potential top-liner by beating London’s Image in the 3 year old Magic Millions at Pinjarra (Restricted Listed) to give trainer Indianna Weinert and then rider Austin Galati their biggest wins as individuals. Resuming as a 4 year old he went 4/4 and then 5/5 in 66+ Ratings Races with dominant and arrogant on speed wins before testing the waters for the first time at Black Type level in the Black Hart Bart Stakes. He successfully took the step as most envisaged and ended only his second campaign of racing undefeated after six starts. First-up in the Roma Cup was his first defeat when gunned down late by Rope Them In, however, there was so (so) much to like about his effort. It was first time WFA, he tracked a ridiculously strong tempo and peaked late. He ran the 5th fastest L200 – there was clearly room for improvement and he looms for many as WA’s best chance. Definition of X-Factor.

12. Talkcano (54.5kg)

Trainer: Daniel & Ben Pearce 
Jockey: Lucy Fiore
Barrier: 3

3 year old filly, m90, 12:4-5-1 with that CV that (already) includes a Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes, Group 2 Karrakatta Plate, Max Simmonds Classic and runner-up performances in the Burgess Queen, Champion Fillies, WA Breeders and Pinjarra Classic. She’ll attack the Quokka on the fresh side, 6 weeks between runs, with a 950m barrier trial in between, but the two obvious questions that will be raised are: 1) is she suited under the WFA scale? No. She’ll carry half a kilo more than she did in the Listed Pinjarra Classic / Bunbury Stakes when fourth behind Bonjoy, Fast Flicker and London’s Image; 2) is she sharp enough at 1200m or could she now be looking for further? Playin’It Sweet was too brilliant for her in a WA Breeders Classic and she hit a noticeable flat spot in the Pinjarra Classic. Just feel like Head to Head Luana Miss has her measure filly v filly. She could be a major player in races like the Asian Beau / RJ Peters / Railway and even Gold Rush come the Pinnacles. She’s a ripper and she drew perfectly to run a cheeky race.

13. Luana Miss (54.5kg)

Trainer: Trevor Andrews
Jockey: Chris Parnham
Barrier: 6

Burst onto the scene on debut as a 2 year old when winning by 1.8L and being immediately tipped out for a spell. Resumed to retain her undefeated tag in the Supremacy Stakes before everything that could go wrong did go wrong in the Gimcrack. Talkanco beat her in the Max Simmonds as a 3 year old filly but you only need to watch the replay to sell yourself that with clear running she wins, before making amends in the Placid Ark Prelude and Placid Ark Stakes. Thrown in the deep end in the Winterbottom Stakes she held her own with 51.5kg beaten under 2.5L by Libertad, Overpass and Rey Magnerio before a well-earned spell. This time around there was a big query on her lacklustre trial performance but she pushed those concerns aside with a highly encouraging return in the Roma Cup when flashing late after being held up at a crucial stage. She had to draw a soft barrier on Tuesday morning and connections would be thrilled with her alley.

Selection: Jigsaw / Rey Magnerio

The 2026 BYD Quokka looks like jumping around $4.20/$4.40 the field and that allows you the room to bet/save or even dutch a pair of runners. I’m putting my faith in the Group One WFA form of the William Reid where Jigsaw beat Rey Magnerio by just under 1.5L. Banking on Jigsaw utilising his brilliant gate speed to get across and overcome his wide alley, and Rey Magnerio to take a step forward second-up returning to the West.

Market Market



Recent Articles