BROWNIE'S BLOG - EASING BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS AFTER A MONTH AWAY FROM RACE RIDING

By Damian Browne | Friday, September 2, 2016

After taking a month’s break away from the action, Damian Browne returned to the saddle with a winner at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday. In this edition of Brownie’s Blog, which is exclusive to HRO, Damian gives some insight into what prompted him to take a time out. He also has a word or two to say about star riders Jeff Lloyd and Jimmy Orman, who both had award winning seasons last year, about Winx, who will be looking for eleven wins in a row on Saturday ... and about Buffering who he is due to have a good hit out early next week following his return from an injury enforced layoff.

Taking a month’s break from riding, as I have just done, has an up-side and a down-side.

It is good for a jockey to have a break, a change of scenery and a re-charge but that change of lifestyle, even if it is for a relatively short period of time, can also become something of an anchor in terms of getting back to match fitness.

Obviously I had a pretty long season last year with a lot of travelling overseas ... to Dubai, Hong Kong and New Zealand ... and then interstate as well. By the end of the season my body was starting to feel it and mentally I was starting to feel it too.

It got to the stage where I’d had enough. My body was really struggling to keep going and with that, to be honest, I didn’t have a lot of motivation in the last few weeks that I rode.

I backed off from the Wednesday meetings and concentrated on the Saturday’s but I still didn’t feel I rode as well as I could have over the carnival ... so I really needed that break.

In truth, I was buggered by the end of it.

Coming back ... getting up to speed fitness wise is another thing. That’s what I am working on now.

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So I’m easing back into it.

I just want to ride a couple of meetings at my home track at the Sunshine Coast first to blow the cobwebs out and get the weight down.

I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself too quickly. I also want to avoid trying to ride too light too quickly ... so it is a process.

I’ll ride at the Sunshine Coast until next Wednesday and then, by next Saturday, I should be back in the swing of things.

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I want to make special mention of Jeff Lloyd, who took out the Queensland Jockey of the Year title for last season.

Jeff’s record speaks for itself. He is not only a champion rider he is a champion guy and I have to take my hat off to him for what he had to overcome and what he has achieved.

You know blokes like me, in the twilight of my career, can look at Jeff and get inspiration from him. He had an incredible season and it just goes to show where determination can get you.

Like I say, I take my hat off to him.

Credit to Jimmy Orman also ... he scooped a bundle of awards.

He’s come so far in such a short time. He is clearly a big talent. Obviously his problem is going to be that he is a tall lad and I just hope he can keep his weight in check because he has a bright future in front of him.

Jimmy’s got an old head on young shoulders and it tells at times and that has helped him to, like Jeff, have an incredible season.

He’s certainly a busy young lad. Let’s see if he’s still doing it at Jeff’s age. (Lloyd turned 55 this week).

Now there’s a challenge!

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Like everybody else I’ll be watching Winx tomorrow.

As a rider I certainly have a great appreciation of how good a performance it is when you see Hugh Bowman just sitting on Winx and travelling so well before asking her for any sort of real effort.

I’d rather be sitting on her than chasing her ... that’s for sure, but, like all people in the racing industry, I love to see great horses, great achievements.

Winx certainly looks like she is going to go on to even greater heights.

Post Black Caviar, she is just what the industry needs. The wins, the company she races in ... I guess you can say it now ... she is a champion.

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What I’ve got to look forward to personally this season will be determined to some degree by what another champion, Buffering, does do on his return.

He is due to gallop on Tuesday, but as far as I know the when and the where has still to be confirmed.

I’m just looking forward to going down and seeing him and giving him a bit of a pat anyway, just to see how he is.

Then we’ll take it from there.

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