Top Sydney jockey Corey Brown bruised and battered from a hard day at the office yesterday is ready to take up his duties at Rosehill tomorrow.
Brown ended up with a cut lip and bruising from a tough day at Gosford but has declared himself fit to fulfil his ten rides in a massive program of eleven races.
“Pretty sore and sorry but I will live to see another day,” Brown said this morning.
“I will be out there, I will be a little bit sore and not quite 100 per cent, but really excited to be getting out there on Rain Affair and getting the carnival started.”
Brown was involved in a barrier incident in which fellow jockey Peter Robl injured his leg then was tossed off Rain Alert on the home turn in the 1100m Maiden three races later.
The tough hoop did get to sandwich in a winner, Muzzle Blast in the colts and geldings Maiden (1100m).
Brown’s highlight of the day at Rosehill will be aboard short priced favourite Rain Affair in the Group 2 TAB Sportsbet Expressway Stakes (1200m) where he comes up against some top class performers.
These include trainer Chris Waller’s group 1 winning trio of Rangirangdoo, Shoot Out and Danleigh as well as Snipper’s Bullet and trainer Joe Pride’s other runner Sacred Choice.
Pride gave Rain Affair a freshen up after taking out the Listed $100,000 Tattersalls Carrington Stakes (1100m) in track record time on January 2 but is sure he is going into tomorrow’s race ready following a solid hit in a 800m Warwick Farm barrier trial two weeks ago when ridden by Brown.
“He is going into the race in great order and what more can you do first up than break a track record,” Brown said.
Pride is keen to test his four year old against the best and is looking to send him to Melbourne for the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10.
A run in the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) is also on the cards for Rain Affair to top him off for his trip to Melbourne.
“I might run him in the Apollo and if he was able to run really well in his next two races I’d definitely consider a trip to Melbourne,” Pride said.
“He’s not the sort of horse who really wants a month between Saturday’s race, the Expressway, and the Newmarket (1200m). I’d be tempted to get him down there if he could do well at his first two starts.
“He’s a strong horse and he runs a very good 1200m.”
Anthony Cummings’ promising young stayer Strike The Stars is resuming in the Expressway and the Randwick trainer is confident he will run a mighty race.
”It is a good chance to see him sit back and run on, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him figure in the finish,” Cummings said.
Strike The Stars won the Group 3 $200,000 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill in the spring and Cummings is aiming the three year old towards the Group1 $1.5m Australian Derby at Randwick on April 14.
