Bring the children and their best dressed bears for a PAWfect family day out in support of The Children’s Foundation. Eagle Farm will be awash with furry friends, colourful picnic blankets, Mathilda’s Market, rides and entertainment, face painting, Build-A-Bear Workshop games and activities and a Blue Light Disco. Kids can enter their best buddy into our Furry Fashions on the Field and could win the best dressed teddy bear competition.

General admission is $15 for adults, children and teddy bears go free! Families can purchase a picnic pack to enjoy on picnic blankets and tables spread across the lawn for just $60 including entry. $1 from every general admission ticket and $5 from every picnic purchased will be donated to The Children’s Foundation.

Here’s a guide to everything you need to know about bmag Teddy Bear’s Picnic at the races…

PICNIC PACKAGES

General admission: $15
Family picnic pass: $60
(2 adults, 2 children, includes admission)
Family picnic pass additional children: $10
Family picnic pass additional Adult: $20

BUY NOW

CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION

$1 from every general admission ticket and $5 from every picnic purchased will be donated to The Children’s Foundation.

MATHILDA’S MARKET

Mathilda’s Market will be on site selling the funkiest and most gorgeous of outfits for the kids, chic bedroom decorations and furnishings, bright and brilliant toys, must-have accessories, pretty and practical bags and shoes, dreamy vintage-inspired creations, musical instruments and jewellery, fabulous dress-up costumes, striking linen … and so much more!

BLUE LIGHT DISCO

Shake your tail feather and boogie with the bears in the Blue Light Disco. For children under the age of 18.

RIDES AND ENTERTAINMENT

Children will have a PAWesome time with rides such as the cup-and-saucer and jumping castle plus entertainment.

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP

Build-A-Bear Workshop will provide a games and activity area hosted by Bearemy.

FURRY FASHIONS ON THE FIELD

Enter your best buddy into our Furry Fashions on the Field and you could win the best dressed teddy bear competition.  Sponsored by Build-A-Bear Workshop.

JUNIOR FASHIONS ON THE FIELD

Enter into the Junior Fashions on the Field and show off your FURbulous attire for your chance to win some fantastic prizes.

FACE PAINTING

Everybody, young and old, loves the magic of face painting – Come and have your face painted like a teddy bear!

WIN YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY

Buy your ticket and be here for the prize draw at Eagle Farm Racecourse on the day and you could win four nights at the Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort valued at $3500.

Children’s Health Foundation will be selling raffle tickets to win. Prize includes four nights in a Queenslander suite with interconnecting twin rooms for 2 adults and 2 children, full buffet breakfast daily in the Cove Café , $300 food and beverage credit to use throughout the resort during your stay and access to the Sanctuary Cove Recreational Centre for all your fitness needs.

1st Prize Winner: Emily Johnson who won $3,000

2nd Prize Winner: Steven Hooker who won accommodation for two in the Deluxe River View Room at the Brisbane Marriott Hotel including buffet breakfast and a Spa Treatment at the Dome Spa Retreat

3rd Prize Winner: Craig Millman who won an Apple Ipad

Dour stayer Moriarty gave trainer Chris Waller a feature double at Eagle Farm when successful in the Group 2 Croser Brisbane Cup (2400m).

Waller had earlier been successful in the Queensland Derby with Hawkspur. Moriatry’s win also completed an outstanding day for jockey Nash Rawiller who landed three winners.

Rawiller was also successful on Red Tracer (Dane Ripper Stakes) and Romantic Touch (J J Atkins).

Moriarty ($7) turned the tables on Kiwi mare Quintessential ($6.5) to win by a length with a short head to Zennista ($16) in third place. Moriarty had finished fourth behind Quintessential in the Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) last Saturday.

Waller, who is battling a throat infection, recalled his early days coming to Brisbane as a strapper for Kiwi trainer Paddy Busittin.

“I learnt then that horses thrive here during the winter months,’’ he said. “The climate seems to give horses a lift.’’

Waller said his old boss, Busuttin, had travelled from New Zealand to attend today’s meeting.

“Paddy said he wanted to see me win my first Derby,’’ said Waller. “I was fortunate it happened.’’

Waller was conservative when asked about the immediate future for Moriarty.

“Perhaps he may be suited by a race like the Metropolitan,’’ he said.

Racing Queensland Website News

Photos: Noel Pascoe

A superb rails hugging ride by jockey Nick Hall landed grey Linton a winner in today’s AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and broke the heart of home town favourite Buffering.

Hall brought Linton ($26) scorching along the inside rail in the last 50m to defeat Buffering ($6.5) by three-quarters of a length with Streama ($11) a long head away third.

It was brave Buffering’s ninth minor placing in a Group 1 race and it seems the gallant Queenslander may be destined never to win one of racing’s top flight black type events.

Linton’s win was a training triumph for John Sadler who elected to remain in Melbourne where the stable had four unplaced runners. But elated stable foreman Troy Corstens was happy to do the honours at Eagle Farm.

Linton went into the race chasing a hat-trick of wins after successes in Adelaide during the previous six weeks. Today’s win added $1million to Linton’s earnings which have now topped the $2 million mark.

“All credit to John Sadler…it was an amazing training feat,’’ said Corstens. “A while back he mentioned setting the horse for the Stradbroke and we I laughed.

“His two wins at Morphettville were good and there was no hesitation bringing him north.’’

There was a strong family connection in Hall’s win. His father Greg rode Innisfree to win the 1978 Stradbroke which was trained by his grandfather, Ron.

“Dad phoned me this morning to wish me luck,’’ said Hall.

“I backed off mid-race and he gave me a real good ride until the turn into the straight. I felt I had a lot of horse under me three-quarters of the way down the straight and thought I could win.’’

With the big crowd cheering on Buffering, Linton swooped along the inside for a spectacular.

Queenslander Spirit of Boom ($13) ran an honest race to finish a creditable  fourth while Sizzling ($7.50) was seventh, about two and half lengths from the winner.

Sydney colt Hawkspur completed a resounding winter carnival treble with a dominant victory in today’s Group 1 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm.

Hawkspur , starting equal favourite at $4, defeated Electric Fusion ($17) by two and a half lengths with Honorius ($7.5) a half-neck away third. The Derby victory completed a magnificent treble after the colt’s previous wins in the Rough Habit Plate and Grand Prix last month.

Trainer Chris Waller, celebrating his first Derby success, was full of

the Queensland Derby after he landed Bravery bin 1988 and Yippyio in 1997.

“When you have a rider like Jim Cassidy it makes a bit more relaxed going into a big race,’’ said Waller.

“He’s a genius and full credit to him.  He did a great job to win the Rough Habit and Grand Prix on this horse and repeated it again today.

“The horse blew the start and made things awkward for himself. But Jimmy steadied him and gave him a terrific run.’’

Hawkspure’s win took his stakes earnings to more than $600,000 and Waller said no hasty decisions would be made on the colt’s future.

“The win today means a lot to me but we don’t like to get too far ahead of ourselves. The main thing is to enjoy having a good horse and what goes with it…”

Trainer Gai Waterhouse notched her sixth Group 1 triumph of the season when Romantic Touch led all the way to take the Patinack Farm J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm today.

Romantic Touch ($2.35), ridden by Nash Rawiller, showed abundant courage in the straight to withstand the challenges of second-placed Zoustar ($4) by a half-length with a Paximadia ($8) a short-head back in third place.

Stable racing manager Bruce Slade said the win was a great result for Waterhouse after a tumultuous few weeks.

“It’s such a special win after an eventful month,’’ said Slade. “Gai is the best trainer of two-year-olds in the world.

“She has always held this horse in high regard and he came back even better after being gelded.’’

Slade  said Romantic Touch, a son of Northern Meteor and bred by Gooree Park Stud, was endowed with trademark stamina and toughness. Romantic Touch has now won three of his five starts

Zoustar was given the run of the race by Jim Cassidy but could not overhaul the winner in a gripping drive to the line.

Consistent mare Red Tracer will get her chance to finally salute in a Group 1 race when she tackles the Tattersall’s Tiara (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 22,

Red Tracer ($5.5) prevailed in a spirited duel over the last 150m to beat Floria ($7) by a head with an identical margin to Arctic Flight ($31).

“If there has ever been a horse that has not won a Group 1 but has thoroughly deserved to it is Red Tracer,’’ said trainer Chris Waller.

“She gets her chance in two weeks and deserves to win it.’’

Red Tracer finished second in two Group 1s in her past three starts prior to today. She was runner-up to Appearance in both the Coolmore (March 23) and the Queen of the Turf (April 6) at Rosehill.

Red Tracer’s gritty effort today was outstanding as she carried 59.5kg and came from barrier 18.

“The last 100m was very tough but Nash (jockey Nash Rawiller) rode her a treat.’’

Favourite Fire Up Fifi ($3.60) finished fourth, less than a length from the winner.

Brisbane trainer Tina Cotsiopoulos had the biggest thrill of her 25-year career when Howmuchdoyouloveme  won the Evergreen Turf Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm.

Howmuchdoyouloveme ($13) was transferred to Cotsiopoulos’ stable last month after previous trainer Con Karakatsanis was disqualified.

Sydney-based Karakatsanis had previously stabled Howmuchdoyoulove me with Cotsiopoulos when campaigning in Brisbane.

“The horse has been stabled with me in the past but I’ve actually been the trainer for only for a couple of weeks,’’ said Cotsiopoulos.

“I wasn’t too confident today…he was top weight and drawn very wide.’’

Howmuchdoyouloveme ($13), ridden by Brenton Avdulla, won by two lengths from  fast-finishing Delago Bolt ($9) with a long-head to I’m Cool ($15).

Cotsiopoulos said Howmuchdoyoulove me will not target the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes on June 22.

Classy three-year-old Academus will be stepped up to middle distance events following his impressive victory in today’s listed McGrath Daybreak Lover (1600m) at Eagle Farm.

Trainer Peter Snowden confirmed Aacademus ($2.40 fav) will now be spelled and return for a spring campaign. The gelding stormed down the outside to defeat Eximius ($26) by a long neck with Lucky Hussler ($7) three-quarters of a length away third.

“He’s losing a little bit of dash and indicates he could be a 2000m or even mile and a half horses,’’ said Snowden.

“He had a bit of work to do today and Kerrin (jockey Kerrin McEvoy) did the right thing by getting him to the outside and giving him time to wind up.’’

The well-travelled Academus is a durable customer with starts in Perth, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Brisbane during his last five outings.

“He’s a bit quirky, but travels well and eats well,’’ said Snowden.

“It will be interesting to see how he comes up in the spring.’’

Reformed outlaw Tokamak will chase either Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) or the Rockhampton Cup (1600m) in a fortnight after today’s win in the listed XXXX Gold Strawberry Road Handicap.

Tokamak ($10), who produces his best at Eagle Farm, beat Someday($4.40) by a long neck with ¾ length to third-placed Transporter ($3.40 fav).

The five-year-old gelding has now started six times at Eagle Farm for four wins.

“For a horse that used to be a lunatic he’s really turned it around,’’ said trainer Barry Lockwood. “I got sick of trying to cure his bad habits and reckon he must have got sick of fighting me.’’

Lockwood transferred from northern NSW to Queensland last October and Tokamak has thrived since arriving in Brisbane.

“He was balloted out of a couple of Group 3 races during the carnival but this is a really nice race to win,’’ said Lockwood.

Someday, trained by Kelso Wood, finished stoutly down the outside to fail by a long-neck in the 1600m listed event.