BROWNIE'S BLOG: EXCITING TIMES ON THE TWO-YEAR-OLD SCENE CLOSING IN ON THE MAGIC MILLIONS RACEDAY

By Damian Browne | Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Damian Browne had a tremendous year in 2016, highlighted by that famous international success aboard Buffering in Dubai. Another year, another exciting challenge with Browne heading towards the lucrative Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic on January 14 on an unbeaten colt that has already attracted a whole lot of attention. 'Brownie's Blog' appears exclusively on HRO

As a jockey you are always looking for another nice horse ... something that keeps you going ... and certainly after Buffering’s retirement that was definitely the case for me.

Obviously to get on this two-year-old of Chris Munce, Ours To Keep, is exciting times.

Ours To Keep is unbeaten in three starts going into the Magic Millions. On Saturday, in the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes, the race couldn’t really have worked out any better. It went pretty much how we planned it.

Ours To Keep was able to put himself in a favourable position following the horses we thought we would be following. I was able to get out on the corner and ask him to go and he was there for me so I was very happy with him in all respects.

Chris had always said, right from his win in the Listed Phelan Ready a fortnight ago, that he had left plenty in the tank so that he can improve into the Millions.

I could notice that improvement from his first win into this one and I think there is a little more to come heading into the Millions which can only be good.

In his win a fortnight ago ... when he came out he sort of lost a little bit of focus. He hadn’t been in behind them like that before and so it took him a furlong to start to hit his straps. We rode him that way though as part of his education to see what he would do and, as he has done with everything else, he came through that task well.

That experience showed to his benefit last Saturday. He took improvement into that race. He didn’t lose focus and when I came out he straightened up ... straight as a gun barrel. So he is picking the game up very, very quickly.

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It was an important lesson to learn as Ours To Keep probably won’t lead in the Millions ... unless we draw one and it just ends up that way.

He’s probably got the speed to lead if we want to but to win the race it is probably better to be sitting third, fourth or fifth, and you want them doing things right ... you don’t want them in that situation for the first time.

The only thing missing perhaps is a look at the Gold Coast track. I know Chris is tinkering with the idea of giving Ours To Keep a gallop down there either at the end of this week or the start of next week. I’ll leave that to him. He’s already shown what a good trainer he is.

Apart from his obvious ability Ours To Keep has an outstanding temperament. That is going to hold him in good stead on a big day at the Gold Coast. The occasion won’t get to him. He is a very relaxed character. He takes everything in his stride and is just a true professional.

You don’t often talk about a two-year-old being a push-button horse but he is probably as close to that as a two-year-old can get. You can give him a bit of a dig and he’s got a bit of pace and then he comes back to you and travels nicely as well. He doesn’t try to over-race.

It’s almost like riding a three-year-old. He is probably the size of a three-year-old. He is a big strong bloke.

All of those things are great attributes to have ... particularly for a two-year-old.

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Chris, of course, has two runners in the Two-Year-Old Classic, the colt Ours To Keep and the filly Champ Elect.

For a while now I have been keeping my cards close to my chest in terms of which ride I would take but I think you would have gathered by now, from what I have said earlier in the blog, that it is pretty well self-explanatory that I will probably be sticking with the colt.

But, in saying that, I think the filly is going to be awfully hard to beat. I have got a lot of time for her. She is going to be very good chance for whoever is lucky enough to get on her.

In theory it always nice to have a choice of rides in a big race. That can come back to bite you though.

I have been known to pick the wrong one before so punters can probably decide to get on the other one now!

I’m sure she will run a top race.

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I did say in a previous blog that, if we won the Millions, Chris will probably be there to help me pull the horse up ... he gets that excited.

After what he did on Saturday, coming out onto the track before we came back to scale, I’ll change that to say he will probably be there two strides past the post.

I’ve said it before but it is fantastic to see that level of enthusiasm ... just to see him running at me on the track with a big smile on his face.

I didn’t expect him there for a second. When I first caught a glimpse of someone on the track ahead of me I thought it might be a streaker or something, But then, as I say, I saw his beaming smile.

It was just great to see.

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It was also great to see Buffering at the track on Saturday, parading prior to the inaugural running of the Buffering Quality Handicap.

It was my turn to have a huge smile on my face when I was looking at him. Apart from the memories it was good to see him looking so terrific.

As we all know he was a people’s horse and a people’s favourite so it was great for families to be able to come out and see him and for him to be looking and feeling so well while clearly enjoying retirement.

He even kicked out while parading to emphasise his well-being.

I hope I’m still kicking and jumping around when I retire.

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Unfortunately I picked up a suspension on Sunday at the Sunshine Coast which rules me out of the final leg of the Origin Jockey Series.

I was really looking forward to riding and helping New Zealand in the defence of its title ... and maybe getting there in the last stride again if I was able to ... but I won’t be doing that now.

I’m not certain who will take my place to join Larry Cassidy in the New Zealand team but, whoever it is, I am sure they will do a great job.

I’ll certainly be supporting them and hopefully they can get us over the line.

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