Thebudgiesmugla Delivers Darby Racing's 41st Individual Stakes Winner

1 day ago
2 min read

Darby Racing 13.6.26

What a tremendous day for all involved with Thebudgiesmugla, who continued his remarkable rise through the staying ranks with an impressive victory in the Listed Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Rosehill.

Ridden to perfection by Dylan Gibbons, Thebudgiesmugla enjoyed the ideal run throughout the feature, settling in the coveted one-out, one-back position before being presented at exactly the right time in the straight. When asked for his effort, he responded like a quality stayer, powering home to secure another well-deserved black-type victory.

The win was a testament to the outstanding training performance of Bjorn Baker and his dedicated team. Their patience, planning and attention to detail had the gelding peaking on race day, and today's result is a fitting reward for all their hard work behind the scenes.

Thebudgiesmugla's story is made even more special by the fact he is a New Zealand import, identified and purchased through Dave Mee and Pinhook Bloodstock. Since arriving in Australia, he has continued to improve with every preparation and is proving to be another outstanding example of the quality staying talent that New Zealand consistently produces.

Today's victory was also a significant milestone for Darby Racing, with Thebudgiesmugla becoming our 41st individual stakes winner. It is another proud achievement for our team, which has now celebrated more than 80 stakes victories, 9 Group 1 wins and over $80 million in prize money.

Congratulations to every owner involved. Days like today are what racing is all about and your support, patience and belief have been rewarded with another memorable black-type success.

The journey is far from over. Thebudgiesmugla's next target is expected to be the $500,000 Caloundra Cup in Queensland, where he will look to continue his rise through the staying ranks and add another feature race to his growing résumé.

On behalf of everyone at Darby Racing, thank you for your continued support and congratulations on being part of another special chapter in our story.