There was further strengthening of the Corey Brown-Godolphin Stable alliance at the midweek metropolitan meeting in Sydney on Wednesday when the combination again teamed-up to land the opening event of the afternoon with Manicure (by Lonhro).
A home-bred 2-year-old filly by Darley resident stallion Lonhro having only her second career start, Manicure benefitted greatly from a flawless ride by Brown to claim the $40,000, Casino Prince@Vinery Plate (1100m).
Guided across her rivals from the extreme outside barrier to sit just off the leader in a nine-horse field, Manicure ultimately did best in what amounted to be a two horse battle in the short Canterbury Park straight, outpointing Sasso Corbaro (by All Too Hard) over the closing stages to win by 0.2 of a length.
Manicure proved to be the best horse on the day in a 2-year-old fillies event contested by a bunch of very well-bred juveniles with better things in store in the coming 2017/18 racing season.
Besides the winner, only three of the nine starters had faced the starter on no more than one occasion beforehand, the remainder of the field otherwise all being on debut.
In the end, Manicure and runner-up Sasso Corbaro finished over three lengths clear of their nearest rival, though Aonair (by Fastnet Rock) rattled home from the tail of the field for an eye catching third, and Tennessee Tango (by Encosta de Lago) was by no means disgraced with a very encouraging fourth.
Brown’s masterful ride on Manicure added to the jockey’s healthy sequence of successes for acting Godolphin head trainer Darren Beadman in very recent time. The past few weeks have seen the duo unite to win some notable races either side of the NSW-Queensland border, proving to be the form partnership of winter racing in both Sydney and greater Brisbane.
Last weekend’s meeting at Ipswich witnessed Brown produce a similarly consummate ride aboard Revenire to win the major 2-year-old contest on the Ipswich Cup program. And just seven days earlier, Brown and Beadman struck in the feature event of the Queensland racing calendar when Impending proved too good for his opposition in the $1.5 million, Group 1, Stradbroke Handicap (1350m).
Recent winners for the likes of Joseph Pride, Bjorn Baker, Gwenda Markwell, Clarry Conners, David Pfieffer and Kurt Goldman have also come thick and fast as Brown gains momentum in re-establishing himself in the domestic riding ranks following his return from a three-and-a-half year stint plying his trade in Singapore.
Brown heads back to Brisbane this coming Saturday for a full book of rides on the eight-race program to be staged at Doomben. His only booking for Team Godolphin comes in the last when he is set to re-unite with Mogador in the $175,000, Group 3, UBET W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m).
