Braidon Small has been to hell and back. On Thursday, the racing gods were on his side.
The son of legendary jockey Cyril Small, who regularly rode Vo Rogue, Braidon has battled and beaten brain cancer, a condition he was somewhat miraculously diagnosed with after doctors discovered the tumour following a race fall.
He capped off a remarkable and emotional recovery by winning the Grand Annual Steeplechase on Instigator in a classic finish.
Grand Annual Steeplechase | Instigator
Instigator wins a Grand Annual for the ages for Aaron Purcell and Braidon Small 🔥
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/LI6ilAAiHc— Racing.com (@Racing) May 7, 2026
The young father underwent numerous rounds of brain surgery over a number of years, then underwent chemotherapy too, and faced an uncertain future. He got the all clear to return to riding in 2024.
His brother, Daniel, said post-race on Thursday his brother ‘’has been through hell and back’’.
‘’This is enormous. Like Braidon moved down here about fourteen years ago. All he wanted to be was a jump jockey,’’ an emotional Daniel said.
‘’I was here the day he won the Galleywood on Two Hearts [in 2018].
‘’And coming into today, you know, there was only one horse we were cheering was Instigator.
And by crikey, what a ride! What a ride! What a man, Jesus was with him today, mate. He absolutely rode that a treat.’’
Braidon was stoic post-race, while his family were emotional in the celebrations.
He said that given his health battles, his win was extra special.
‘’ You get up and you just keep moving forward. That’s what you’ve got to keep doing,’’ he said, revealing Instigator’s win will likely be his last has he faces retirement due to his old age.
‘’Dig deep and give me everything he had, that’s all I wanted him to do. And I dare say that’ll probably be his last ever race because he turns thirteen as of the first of August. You know he doesn’t need that race again. He just won the Grand Annual.’’
“Words I never thought I’d hear anyone say.”
Well done, Braidon – take a bow 👏
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REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/qtzFuUT4Qm— Racing.com (@Racing) May 7, 2026
Cyril could barely hold back his tears as he spoke of Braidon’s battles and heroics.
”Just super proud. The whole family, both boys made it,” he said.
”And our daughter, our daughter’s at home looking after the place. All three kids are wonderful kids.
”Just super proud of [Braidon]. He’s been through a lot and especially this past 12 months, he’s worked really hard on his weight to get it down. And I’ve been telling him for years the right way to do it, but they finally listened to me.”
Cyril 🥹🥹🥹 So special
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REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/JzntYJE2Dj— Racing.com (@Racing) May 7, 2026
Braidon previously detailed his battle and recovery, determined to get back to racing.
“I’ve been riding horses my whole life, so it’s more been a fitness thing, losing my belly, and also sort of focussing on the health side of things too,” he told racing.com after he went into remission
“I’m pretty pumped to be back at the races and be back amongst it all.
“Those hurdle trials I had, I just had two quiet ones that sort of I cruised around and it just felt awesome being back out there.
“But I think I probably should do the right thing and have a spin around the Highweights first, then a couple of trials at Warrnambool to really get my eye in and I’ll be right to go.”
The industry too supported Braidon’s recovery, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.
