Well-fancied Napoleonic sneaks into Doomben 10,000

BRISBANE – The nervous wait to see if Napoleonic would sneak into the Doomben 10,000 (1,200m) on May 16 is over with the scratching of Abounding paving the way for the colt to take his place in the Group 1 sprint.

Connections have endured an anxious week after the three-year-old was originally named second emergency for the A$1.5 million (S$1.38 million) feature, with first reserve Beadman securing a run on May 13 when Lady Of Camelot was withdrawn due to a stingray wound picked up during a beach swim.

Napoleonic’s trainer Tom Charlton said he had put a contingency plan in place, but was relieved when the horse was confirmed for a start and they could stick to their original three-race plan of the Doomben 10,000 (1,200m), Fred Best Classic (1,400m) and Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m).

“It’s important because he looks like he’s in a big race with a chance,” said the British handler.

“It has always been the plan, and it’s not normally a race where you get a full field. Normally a (benchmark rating) 103 three-year-old gets in, so it was a bit of a spanner in the works.

“But thankfully, we’re in.”

Napoleonic, who has not raced since his eighth, albeit less than two lengths off some of the country’s best sprinters, in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1,300m) on March 7, arrived in Brisbane by float on May 14.

Charlton said he had travelled well after rounding out his preparations with a strong track gallop earlier in the week when partnered by his Doomben 10,000 jockey, James McDonald.

The latter was also in the mix for trainer Peter Snowden after his Beadman went in following Lady Of Camelot’s withdrawal, but the top Kiwi jockey had already been booked on Napoleonic, with Tim Clark now partnering Beadman.

“He worked very well with Linebacker on Tuesday. James came in and rode him, which makes our life easy because he knows where we’re at, and he was very pleased,” said Charlton.

“We can’t fault the preparation thus far.”

Napoleonic shares the second line of Doomben 10,000 betting with Grafterburners at 11-2, behind only 5-2 race favourite Jimmysstar.

Trainer Ciaron Maher is banking on Ethan Brown’s affinity with Jimmysstar to prove decisive as the mercurial sprinter prepares to justify his favouritism.

Currently based in Hong Kong until the end of the 2025-26 season, Brown has been given permission – along with the jurisdiction’s eight-time champion jockey Zac Purton – to ride in Saturday’s feature, as the 26-year-old chases his fourth Group 1 win on Jimmysstar.

Form assessors quickly reacted to Maher’s successful move to secure Brown for Jimmysstar, who has drawn the most admirers in Australian markets despite drawing barrier 11.

“Ethan knows what he’s doing. He’s got a great rapport with the horse,” said Maher. “He’s been riding well in Hong Kong, and it’ll only add to his ability and experience. I’m rapt to have him on.

“Jimmy is in very good order. It is probably going to be short of his best (distance). But he handles tight tracks like Caulfield and Doomben – shouldn’t be an issue.”

In 2025, Jimmysstar emerged as one of Australia’s leading sprinters with victories in three top-level contests under Brown – the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1,100m) at Caulfield, Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick and the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes (1,400m).

The Per Incanto gelding finished third to Beiwacht in the 2026 Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick on April 18, surging from the tail of the field.

SKY RACING WORLD / HKJC