The bush jockey going from riding hacks to taking on Winx

Ben Dorries - Thursday October 5

From riding hacks to taking on Winx.

Advertisement
Journeyman bush jockey Christopher Brown will pull up at Flemington in his trusty Ford Kuga Diesel to take on Winx in the Turnbull Stakes.

It's all in a week's work for journeyman former jumps jockey Christopher Brown who last Saturday was riding bush battlers at Pooncarie, a quiet village in south-western NSW which Burke and Wills once passed though.

On Saturday the 46-year-old larrikin former Kiwi, who rides at plenty of off-the-beaten track locations such as King Island in Tasmania, will take his first city ride in Melbourne.

And it's not just any city ride.

It might be on a $301 outsider that has no chance of winning, but Brown doesn't give a stuff about such trivial matters.

Signed up to take the ride on Magicool and tangle with Winx in the Group I Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, he just wants to enjoy the ride.

Not that his mum has quite realised the enormity of the moment.

"I'm a Group I jockey now, you can't take that away from me," Brown laughed.

"I rang my Mum in New Zealand and I was so excited when I told her I would be riding against Winx.

"She had no idea who Winx was, and I had to explain to her she was the world's best horse.

"To be honest I'm just going to go out in this race and have a bit of fun.

"Even though we can't probably beat Winx, I will try to.

"Who would have thought I'd be even getting a ride in the city, let along in a Group I race?

"A few years ago I was struggling to get a license and I was just riding at the picnics.

"It would be a real rags to riches story in a lot of ways and Magicool and I happened to spring a big upset."

Brown's motto is have saddle will travel and he hops in his trusty Ford Kuga diesel and goes just about anywhere and everywhere for a ride.

He lives in a small town not far from Seymour and got the Magicool ride through his association with trainer Tony Romeo.

Brown was a jumps jockey for more than a decade in the north island of New Zealand before he moved to Australia two decades ago to help out fellow Kiwi Graeme Rogerson around his stables.

He also worked for Gai Waterhouse for a while.

Brown gave up riding for 13 years but fell in love with the saddle again a few years back.

"I probably ride in various locations across three or four states," he said.

"I'm a real bush jockey, I can't afford the plane flights, so I just hop on the road and drive to wherever I have got to get to.

"I've ridden in all sorts of places in the bush and it's always a fun time, there are a lot of little communities who put on a good race day."

While Brown has never ridden at Flemington, he isn't completely unfamiliar with the place.

He has strapped horses there for Benalla trainer Peter Smith and also for the likes of Peter Moody and Rick Hore-Lacy.

But it will be an entirely different feeling if Brown and Magicool are eyeballing the mighty Winx at any stage during the Turnbull.

Even if that happens 1600m from the finishing post.

"It would be great to be next to Winx at some stage in the race and that will probably happen early, as I am drawn alongside her," Brown said.

"I just hope someone gets a picture of me riding Magicool with Winx just over my shoulder."

Advertisment
More Reading...
Dominant Maiden Victory for Godolphin’s Burma Star
Having his second start for the Chris Waller stable, Godolphin’s 3yo Exceed And Excel colt Burma Star had race fitness on his side as he ploughed through the wet to win the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Yulong Head Entries for 2026 G1 Blue Diamond Stakes
The Melbourne Racing Club is pleased to confirm 1,456 nominations have been received for the 2026 edition of the $2 million Group 1 Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), Victoria’s richest premier race for two-year-olds to be run on Saturday 21 February.  
Farnan Half-Sister Bolts in at Warwick Farm
When a half-sister by Zoustar to Golden Slipper winner Farnan sells for just $250,000 at Inglis Easter you would be entitled to wonder what was wrong with her, but it turns out lack of size does not mean lack of ability.
First Foal for Woodside Park Stud’s Benbatl
On our tour of the Victorian studs last week we visited Woodside Park Stud and while new recruit Celestial Legend was the star attraction it was hard not be impressed by Dubawi’s globe-trotting son Benbatl (GB), who has his first Australian bred foal on the ground.
Twain Chasing Family History
Twain will be out to replicate the deeds of his dam when he heads to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Feature Race Entries Running Today
The spring carnival is rapidly approaching and midweek metro meetings provide a fertile ground for new talent to emerge so let’s take a look at the runners at Warwick Farm and Sandown today that hold feature race entries.
Debut Winner for Hanseatic
Rosemont Stud’s Hanseatic is on the board with his first winner of the new season after Humble Trader did a great job to win on debut at Sandown on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 20
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sejardan Strategy in Place
In a highly competitive marketplace for young well credentialled stallions it can be hard to stand out from the crowd, so a well thought out plan to maximise potential ROI and raise awareness is one broodmare owners will find intriguing.
G1 York International Delivers Nail Biting Spectacle
Last year the Group I Juddmonte International (1m2 ½ f) at York produced a virtuoso performance from City of Troy (USA), who will be paraded at Coolmore Australia this Sunday and the overnight renewal of the race produced a Pride of Jenni like spectacle before the favourite Ombudsman prevailed to win.