Fully Lit and Perfumist set for The Big Dance in 2026

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-prepared Fully Lit took the lead early and maintained it to win the Group 3 $250,000 Cameron Handicap (1500m). Concurrently, Bjorn Baker’s Perfumist showed a strong finishing burst to win the Group 3 $250,000 Tibbie Stakes (1400m).

This Cameron Handicap victory qualifies Fully Lit for The Big Dance, which is set to take place on Melbourne Cup Day, November 3. However, another significant Randwick mile race might be on the agenda prior to that major event.

Fully Lit achieved a second-place finish in last year’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap behind the exceptional mare Autumn Glow. He is now exceptionally well-weighted at 50kg for a second attempt at the $1.5 million feature mile at Royal Randwick on October 3.

Neil Paine, a representative from the stable, specifically highlighted jockey Regan Bayliss for his excellent ride after Fully Lit ($5.50) successfully held off challengers in the straight to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths from I’mintowin ($6.50). Mr Miller ($1.80 favourite) finished a half-length behind in third.

“When Regan walked out to ride the horse he was very confident and said he wanted to go to the front,” Paine said. “It was a great ride and Fully Lit is just a tough, little horse. He’s run second in an Epsom, he won a $2 million race (Inglis Millennium) and now he has come here and won a Cameron.

“He’s been a great horse for his owners, for Red Fox Racing, and for Gai and Adrian.”

Fully Lit, who placed third in the Cameron Handicap last year behind Headley Grange, was in peak condition today, according to jockey Bayliss.

“That was a peak performance from the horse,” Bayliss stated. “He took complete control of the race and was too good.”

Earlier in the day, Perfumist ($3.60 favourite) was ridden with confidence by Rachel King, accelerating impressively in the straight to win the Tibbie Stakes by two-and-a-half lengths from Mareth ($10). Polymnia ($5) claimed third place, nearly a length behind the runner-up.

“She deserved that,” King remarked about Perfumist’s decisive victory.

“This preparation she is bigger, stronger and more mature. She has always shown promise and hopefully she can continue to improve.

“She has a good turn of foot and will get a lot of confidence out of that win. She is going super.”

Although Baker was not present for Perfumist’s comfortable win, stable manager Luke Hilton indicated that the trainer has major plans for the talented mare. These include the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Everest Day, October 17, and then the Listed $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, November 3.

“Perfumist was fantastic today,” Hilton commented.

“Full credit to Bjorn, he’s done an amazing job. She hasn’t had the best first-up record but Bjorn did things differently this time, giving her an exhibition gallop and a couple of good gallops at home, and it has paid off.

“She is right on target for the Angst and the Big Dance.”

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