Written by Paul Vettise
Victorian jockey Ethan Brown is hoping a two-week isolation period will be the forerunner to the first Group 1 success of his career.
Brown has joined fellows John Allen and Dean Holland in lockdown in an Airbnb in Adelaide in preparation for the South Australian carnival where he will continue his association with Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in the G1 Australasian Oaks.
He was successful on the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained filly at her latest appearance and jumped at the chance to partner her in the May 9 age group feature.
The trio of Victorian jockeys drove inter-state last Friday and have been inventive since their arrival to keep of sound mind and body.
“We’ve got a pretty big back yard here and we’ve made up a training circuit with a mechanical horse and we’re doing push-ups and other calisthenics for about 45 minutes in the morning before brekkie,” Brown said.
“We're pretty much relaxing for the rest of the day and luckily there’s racing on so we can do our form to keep our minds busy. That’s about all we can do and we’ve got each other’s company, which helps.”
“We're pretty much relaxing for the rest of the day and luckily there’s racing on so we can do our form to keep our minds busy.” – Ethan Brown
Brown served his apprenticeship with Michael Kent and came out of his time nearly a year ago.
“I wasn’t really getting that many rides in Melbourne on a Saturday so under the circumstances with a lot of the big boys not coming here I can hopefully chase down a Group 1,” he said.
Sierra Sue has won three of her four starts and last time she beat the older horses under 59.5kg with Brown aboard for the first time.
Sierra Sue (NZ)
“She’s a really nice filly with plenty of upside. It will obviously be a competitive field and a big step up for her, but I’m sure Trent and Natalie wouldn’t be sending her if she wasn’t capable,” he said.
“They are very good trainers and she beat a nice field the other day at Sale. She’s very adaptable and you can put her anywhere you want and when you ask her to go, she goes.”
“They are very good trainers and she beat a nice field the other day at Sale.” – Ethan Brown
Sierra Sue has yet to race beyond 1732 metres and the 2000 metres of the Oaks isn’t expected to pose any problem.
“I think she’ll stay all day and will get the trip no worries, in my opinion,” Brown said. "I've got a good opportunity so hopefully it will spark up my career."
Ethan Brown
Sierra Sue was initially bought by Te Aroha trainer Peter Lock out of Ardsley Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale draft for NZ$2000. She was a trial winner on her home track last summer before her sale and relocation to Busuttin and Young’s Cranbourne stable.
She is a half-sister to three winners from the family of the dual North American Group 1 winner Fashion Plate (USA) (Old Fashioned {USA}) and the former New Zealand Horse of the Year Tit For Taat (NZ) (Faltaat {USA}).
Fellow Group 1 contenders
Brown’s fellow Airbnb residents Allen and Holland are also chasing Group 1 victories with the former to ride the exciting Russian Camelot (Camelot {GB}) in the South Australian Derby and Holland will partner Away Game (Snitzel) in the Robert Sangster S.
"The Adelaide carnivals have been pretty good to me over the years so I thought I'd come over and try and win another Group 1,” Allen said.
John Allen
Zac Spain is another Victorian jockey who has headed to Adelaide and is self-isolating on his own.
"When the ride on Seabrook came up in the Queen Of The South I thought it was a good opportunity to head back to Adelaide to ride for them and hopefully pick up a few others on the way," said Spain, who started his career there with trainer Lloyd Kennewell.
Apprentice Georgina Cartwright has completed two weeks isolation and rode at Morphettville on Saturday while Damien Thornton is another jockey in quarantine in Adelaide.
