In 2008, Brown narrowly missed out on the Melbourne Cup aboard Bauer, a moment that lingered in his mind. “You can think, ‘Where could I have done better?’” he reflects, admitting the mental toll of such a close call.
However, Brown’s fortunes changed dramatically just a year later when he rode Shocking to a memorable victory in the 2009 Melbourne Cup. The experience was surreal, and he recalls the moment he pulled Shocking out from behind the pack, knowing he had a chance. “I just knew I had it in the bag,” he stated, relishing the feeling of exhilaration that comes with such a monumental win.
His success didn’t stop there. In 2017, Brown also steered Rekindling to a Melbourne Cup victory. The satisfaction of winning once again was incredible.
“If I could bottle it and give everyone a taste of that feeling you get, you couldn’t put a price on it,” he shared.
Brown also enjoyed considerable success with Apache Cat, riding him to a series of Group 1 victories in 2008 and 2009, which solidified his reputation as one of the sport’s elite jockeys.
