BROWNIE'S BLOG: WINNING ORIGIN; LOOKING FORWARD TO BUFFERING & SILKS THAT ARE TOO TIGHT FOR COMFORT

By Damian Browne | Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Damian Browne, reigning Queensland's Jockey Of The Year, is rated right up there with the best jockeys in Australia and, as such, his highly informed views make essential reading for anyone in the racing industry. Damian’s column, ‘Brownies Blog’ appears exclusively on HRO

The Jockey’s Origin Series, which was decided at the Gold Coast last Saturday, is probably the one time that I was barracking for somebody to beat Queensland. Since I’ve been here I’ve certainly barracked for them in everything else ... but, when I had the black colours on I had to go with New Zealand.

It was a nice concept. It brought a new dimension to the jockey’s room. It not only brought top riders from other states to Queensland but it also brought a new kind of rivalry.

There was good camaraderie but out on the track we were obviously dead serious. We always like beating each other and if there is another way we can do that then it adds to the fun.

It was that the result went down to the wire. I suppose it would have been the promoter’s dream for it to get down to the final race with three teams still able to win it.

I know some Queenslanders feel hard done by when they all of their runners were scratched at one of the Doomben meetings but they only had one more scratching than us over the entire series.

Danielle Johnson lost one of her good rides and I lost my good one last time, so I don’t think the scratchings affected the actual outcome.

Being the first time, the series did have some teething problems. There are things are going to need to be ironed out but it is a concept that we can build on and grow ... and if it helps create positive publicity for racing, that’s good.

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I’ll be back at the Gold Coast on January 9 for the Magic Millions ... of course to ride Buffering.

I look forward to going anywhere to ride him.

It’s been very well documented that he hasn’t won a Group 1 up here so it would be nice for him to win a very big race on Magic Millions day.

I rode Buffering in a track gallop in between races at Doomben last Wednesday.

I was really happy with his gallop. He seems to have come back from Perth in fine order. He was very spirited in the parade ring beforehand, which was a very good sign after a long trip over there.

He’ll have another gallop to top him off and then he’ll be ready.

The Gold Coast track raced very well on Saturday.

It would be nice to have just that little bit more of a jar out of it, but that was in the laps of the gods on Saturday. They were expecting more rain, but the track certainly raced fairly on the day.

If they can produce it in the same order on Magic Millions day everyone will be happy ... and they’ve got every chance of doing this time around as we don’t race there again until Magic Millions day.

Previously we raced on the track the week before Magic Millions which wasn’t ideal. That meeting has now been moved to the Sunshine Coast ... and that’s what we have got to do more of as an industry to continually improve.

If you can fix something, fix it!

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After the meeting at Doomben last Wednesday somebody asked me if I was a trendsetter or a guinea-pig?

They were referring to my dress sense, or to be more particular, they were referring the silks I wore when I rode Spur Le Jouer in the sixth race.

No, it had nothing to do with the colours of the silks. It had everything to do with the style of the silks ... which were very tight fitting, like those of some of the NRL players these days, as opposed to the regular sets we normally wear.

I did give the new set a try but I’ve expressed my sense of discomfort when using them ... especially in summer. It might be alright in winter but in the summer they are just very tight and you can’t breathe when you are pulling up.

We all know the heat you get here in Queensland. It just makes it so difficult to wear them.

I didn’t find that they restricted you at all movement wise, it was certainly more to do with discomfort. They are very tight around your neck.

Also, our body protectors these days are designed to breathe and they can’t do that properly with the tight fitting silks.

I know the theory, in terms of streamlining, is that it might give you a nose advantage in terms of going faster but if it is taking the strength out of your jockey it might be losing you more than a nose.

I’d prefer not to wear them.

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