BROWNIE'S BLOG: WELL CREDENTIALLED TONY ALLAN AND PADDY BUSUTTIN SET UP SHOP IN QUEENSLAND

By Damian Browne | Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Brownie’s Blog is the weekly personal blog of multiple Group 1 winning jockey Damian Browne which appears exclusively on HRO. This week Brownie talks about the Melbourne Cup winning rider adding his name to the list of riders in the Queensland riding ranks. He comments on a very worthy organisation and he praises Magic Millions for their success in luring arguably the biggest drawcard in racing to their January extravaganza. This is Brownie’s Blog!

There has been an interesting development in the riding ranks in Queensland with the news that Tony Allan will be resuming his career in the Sunshine state.

I haven’t seen Tony for some time but I did ride with him in New Zealand back in the day … years ago. He is a talented rider and a talented horseman. He has had his problems over the years but he has obviously overcome those and now he is looking to make the most of the time he has left in the saddle.

He certainly has the credentials to do well. He has passed the one thousand winner mark in New Zealand and obviously the big one was his 1988 Melbourne Cup win on Empire Rose. He has ridden some very good horses.

The fact that he is linking up with trainer Paddy Busuttin is important. He obviously used to ride for Paddy so they know each other well.

At that time Paddy was one of the leading trainers in New Zealand. Interesting enough, Chris Waller did a bit of time working with and learning from Paddy.

Paddy trained a lot of good winners. Castletown comes to mind. Castletown won three Wellington Cups, an Auckland Cup and a New Zealand Derby … which all were included in his sixteen career wins … and there were many more good horses under his care.

So, both trainer and rider have very good credentials coming into this new venture.

You would think that Paddy obviously would still have contacts as far as owners and things go. He is a brilliant trainer. If they can get some quality horses he and Tony are going to be a formidable partnership, no doubt.

Their arrival on the scene together provides a big tick for Queensland racing.

**************************************************************************************************

The National Jockeys Trust race-day was celebrated across the country last Saturday.

Sydney, in fact, also had their inaugural Sydney jockeys' reunion at Randwick on Saturday and it was great to see such a good turnout there.

It was just good to see, as far as the jockeys who have retired and moved off from the industry are concerned, that they are not forgotten and that the industry values what they have contributed to the sport over a long period of time.

It is very easy for those guys to move on and be forgotten so it is good to see they haven’t been. It would have been a great catch-up and I’m sure there some stories told and the stories probably got longer as the day wore on.

The are certainly a lot of characters amongst the jockeys who have retired and I have no doubt those stories would have been good to listen to.

Maybe Brisbane could do something similar in future.

**************************************************************************************************

At Doomben last Saturday the turnout and the support for the National Jockeys Trust day showed how much the National Jockey Trust organisation as a whole has grown over the years.

I know the jockeys, and their families as well, are thankful we have something like that behind us.

It was great to see first-hand how much the industry gets behind the Jockeys Trust. We were all there for the same reason … that was to raise some money for what is a great organisation and everybody had a good time doing it.

That is the one thing about the racing community … whether it be trying circumstances or something even worse … the industry does come together and support those in need.

That’s got to be an on-going thing too. Obviously as the week’s pass people drop off but the National Jockeys Trust is still there playing that ongoing role with most families which is so necessary and so important.

It is a really worthy cause!

**************************************************************************************************

I have to congratulate Magic Millions on signing Frankie Dettori up for next year’s Magic Millions extravaganza.

The Magic Millions is just growing and growing each year. Gerry Harvey and his wife have done a fantastic job with that and, again, they have stepped it up to a new level because you just don’t get a bigger name or drawcard in racing than Frankie Dettori.

He is very flamboyant. I am sure he will play up to the crowd and I’m sure a lot of people will come out to the polo and the beach gallops and the race-day it self just to see Frankie.

He is one of the greats of all time.

I think the Magic Millions beach race in January was the last time I was on a horse. I loved doing that. I know it was one of the late Timmy Bell’s favourite days of the year as well.

All the jockeys that come there for that event have a great day and they are looked after very well.

I’m sure Frankie will enjoy it as much as everyone else will enjoy having him there.

More articles