The Doomben 10,000 is one of the highlights of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. It is a Group 1 sprint held over 1200m at Doomben Racecourse during the month of May. It is run under standard weight for age conditions and dates back to 1933 when first won by Wallun.
Several name changes have occurred along the way with the race originally being known as the Doomben Newmarket Handicap. In the 1980s the race was known as the Rothmans 100,000. The race has gradually reduced in distance; the Doomben 10,000 has been held over seven furlongs (approximately 1400m) and also 1350m before becoming a 1200m sprint from 2017 onwards.
In 2019, the Doomben 10,000 carried $800,000 in prizemoney with the winner receiving $480,000. The race pays down to 10th with horses that finish between sixth and 10th receiving $9,600.
Several champions have captured the Doomben 10,000 throughout their careers. The first was back in 1934 when claimed by Lough Neagh. The biggest career wins for Lough Neagh were the Queensland Derby (1931), Ranvet Stakes (1933, 1936-37), Chipping Norton Stakes (1933, 1936-37) and Canterbury Stakes (1934).
The mighty Bernborough won the 1946 edition of the Doomben 10,000. A member of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, Bernborough had a winning streak of 15 throughout his career. His major race wins included the All Aged Stakes, Warwick Stakes, Ranvet Stakes, Caulfield Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, Futurity Stakes, Newmarket Handicap and Doomben Cup.
Golden Slipper winner Baguette would claim the Doomben 10,000 in 1971, one year after his Golden Slipper victory. He would also win the Sires’ Produce Stakes, Champagne Stakes and Newmarket Handicap.
Less than 10 years later and Manikato would win the 1979 Doomben 10,000. The champion thoroughbred won the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond Stakes as a two-year-old in 1978. He would
then win the Caulfield Guineas, Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, four Futurity Stakes (1979-81, 1983), two George Ryder Stakes (1979-80) and no less than five consecutive William Reid Stakes’ between 1979-83. The dominance of Manikato at Moonee Valley earned him the honour of having a Group 1 named in his honour – the Manikato Stakes held in October.
Apache Cat is one of the most popular winners of the Doomben 10,000 and he captured two of them in 2008 and 2009. The iconic chestnut also won an Australian Guineas, Black Caviar Lightning Stakes, two Australia Stakes, TJ Smith Stakes and Kingsford-Smith Cup.
Other notable winners of the Doomben 10,000 are Black Onyx (1969-70), Prince Trialia (1990-91), Chief De Beers (1995, 1998), Falvelon (2001-02), Bel Esprit (2003), Takeover Target (2007), Boban (2015), Music Magnate (2016) and Redzel (2017).
