Damian Browne has an enviable strike rate this season which is even more impressive on his home track, the Sunshine Coast.
He heads to Saturday’s meeting with five leading chances – Volkhere (2200m, Open), Le Cap (1200m Open), Liberation (BM75), Par Oneri (2YO Classic) and Storm Fighter (benchmark 80).
A double on Buffering and Tinto at the Gold Coast last Saturday took Browne to 40 winners for the season and an overall winning strike rate of 31 per cent.
His record is even better at the Sunshine Coast where he has 25 winners for a strike rate of 35.2 per cent.
“My manager is a great help. We usually go through the fields very carefully before deciding which mounts to take,” Browne said.
“I look to have some nice rides on Saturday but we will see how things pan out.”
Browne is preparing for a busy time ahead after Saturday.
He returns to New Zealand on Sunday week to ride O’Reilly Cyrus in the Karaka Million, a race he won last year on Hardline.
“I rode her in a trial with blinkers for the first time on Tuesday and she gave me a good feel,” Browne said.
“I am really looking forward to having a chance at winning another Million.”
His mounts in Sydney during the autumn include Tinto who will be chasing the Group One Coolmore Stakes.
Browne is also hoping he will be called on by trainers Peter and Paul Snowden.
“The Snowdens rang to see if I could come down to ride Pride of Dubai in a trial on Tuesday but I couldn’t because I had promised to ride O’Reilly Cyrus,” he said.
“Pride of Dubai won the trial against older horses and I would love to ride him in autumn.”
Browne won the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes last year on Pride of Dubai while Hugh Bowman rode the colt to win the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.
