Local trainers and the beaten brigade were quick to congratulate Braidon Small after he won the Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool aboard Instigator. Small was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023 and underwent surgery before facing radiation and chemotherapy, all in the hope of returning to what he loves best—riding racehorses, especially jumpers.
An Emotional Victory
“You get up and keep moving forward. That’s what you’ve got to keep doing,” Small told racing.com after Instigator prevailed by a narrow margin in Australia’s most gruelling race on Thursday, run over 5500 metres and 33 jumps. Small, the son of Cyril Small who teamed with Vo Rogue during the late 1980s and early 1990s, went nearly three years between victories before Instigator scored at Terang last month. However, he was left disappointed with the Aaron Purcell-trained gelding’s performance in the Brierly Steeplechase (3450 metres) at Warrnambool on Tuesday.
“I went home with my head between my knees and sulking,” Small said. “I’ve always had full faith in Aaron and the team at home, and Aaron wouldn’t have run him today if he didn’t think he was right. He obviously ate up well, trotted up well this morning, and he had a bit more pep in his step on the way to start—not his usual tactic—so he was obviously feeling good. That was great fun.”
Thrilling Finish
In a bobbing finish, Instigator ($11) scored a half-head win from Hit The Road Jack ($4) with Gambu ($26) a further 15 lengths away third. The stars, or numbers in particular, aligned for Small with the race being run on May 7. “In our family, our lucky number is seven,” Small said. “I didn’t want to fill myself with a lot of nonsense, but he had saddle blanket seven and was in race seven. I told no-one, I wouldn’t even let myself believe it. We had a big job at hand, and I was more worried with that than numbers and stats and that sort of stuff.”
In another coincidence, German-bred Instigator had his first race start at Cologne on May 7, 2017, winning a maiden over 1800 metres. May 7 will also be known as the date Instigator retires from racing, as horses in Australia cannot race beyond their 13th birthday. “It’s a forced retirement this year, otherwise we would be bringing him back next year,” Purcell said. “This is the horse’s last start ever, and it’s amazing it’s come off. Braidon has been with us a long time—10, 15 years—and been working hard, and this is the race we’ve always wanted.” Instigator’s victory was the second in the Grand Annual for Purcell, who scored with Ginolad in 2008.
