A heart-to-heart over a couple of beers with trainer Ciaron Maher about two years ago sowed the seeds for 27-year-old jockey Ethan Brown’s Melbourne Cup win on Point Of Law.
asserted
heart → sow → Law
After nearly losing his life in a massive fall off Maximillius in the 2023 Australian Guineas, and a stop-start return to riding, Brown wondered whether he should continue in the toughest of capers.
The injuries were significant, and that was before the emotional toll was considered.
Brown suffered a grade-five lacerated liver and severed artery, damage to his right kidney, significant internal bleeding, and hairline fractures to three vertebrae in his lower back.
asserted
Brown → lose → back
He lost more than five litres of blood.
asserted
He → lose → blood
The fall was in the March, and he returned to the races that August.
asserted
he → return → races
“By the time I got [back] to the races, I still wasn’t ready,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → get → races
“I was tricking myself into telling myself I was ready, so I rode for a month and thought, ‘I am not ready for this’, and took a step back.
asserted
I → trick → step
That was the stage I wondered whether I would get back.”
asserted
I → wonder → ?
He contemplated training, but Maher – who became a trainer after a short-lived career as a jumps jockey – set him straight over a drink with Brown.
asserted
who → contemplate → Brown
The pair’s relationship went way back, with Brown riding the horse he learnt to ride on in Alice Springs, Here to There, to victory at Caulfield in 2017.
asserted
he → go → 2017
Maher told him he was a rider, not a trainer.
asserted
he → tell → him
He said, ‘You are delusional mate, get back riding’,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → say → ?
Brown took the advice on board, but still took time to commit.
asserted
Brown → take → time
“I woke up one morning.
asserted
I → wake → ?
I was hungry again, and it was full-bore,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → say → ?
Maher – who on Tuesday became the first trainer to claim the Melbourne Cup trifecta with Point Of Law, Zahrann and Juja Kibo – had merely passed on the wisdom he had gathered over his time in the business, recognising Brown’s talent was as a rider, and backing him in.
uncertain
talent → become → him
“He’s a very dedicated man, and he was just a bit lost because he is a bit of an overthinker,” Maher said.
asserted
Maher → ’ → overthinker
“I rode at a very low level, and it was the greatest time of my life just booting around with my mates and riding, and he was just a bit down, and he was going to be a trainer.
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he → ride → mates
I thought, ‘Riding is much more fun’ and I just told him my thoughts.”
asserted
I → think → thoughts
A stint in Hong Kong gave Brown the confidence he needed to compete with the best, having grown up in Alice Springs where he started riding under Greg Connor before becoming an apprentice to Michael Kent.
asserted
he → give → Kent
“He’s always been a grounded lad,” Connor said.
asserted
Connor → say → ?
At the same time, he recognised that the only way of being a jockey was to devote himself to the craft, showing the same traits he revealed as a teenager when he modified his diet after being told he had heavy legs.
“I have just matured a lot in the last 12 months.
asserted
I → recognise → months
Mentally I have grown up ... staying quiet, not going out [and a] bit of sacrifice here and there.
asserted
I → grow → sacrifice
It has paid off,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → pay → ?
“When I came back it was like a switch, ‘I’m back to ride and that is all I am doing’.
asserted
I → come → switch
When you make those sorts of decisions you’re not half-hearted.
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you → make → decisions
You’re not back to just push around for your riding fee.
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You → ’re → fee
It was, ‘I am going in full-bore’ and it was a moment like this I dreamt of, and it has happened.”
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it → go → this
It didn’t just happen, though.
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It → happen → ?
Brown had to choose between Point Of Law and his other potential mount, Zahrann, in the lead-up.
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Brown → have → up
It was not a call he took lightly, but he opted for Point Of Law due to the horse’s X-factor.
asserted
he → take → factor
He then took on board Maher’s decisions to work Point Of Law hard to have him peaking for the race, finding the balance between being worked hard enough to relax in the run and fresh enough to quicken when called upon.
asserted
him → take → run
Former hoop Simon Marshall, who has worked with him for 12 months, helped get him in the right frame of mind and if he needed further advice, his partner Celine Gaudray had ridden Torranzino to fifth place in the 2025 Melbourne Cup.
asserted
partner → work → Cup
Brown had not ridden Point Of Law before the Geelong Cup, but he got off the horse in the winner’s stall and whispered to Maher it might be the best horse he has trained.
uncertain
he → ride → Maher
Then he made early visits to Werribee to ride Point Of Law in trackwork, which gave him an understanding that he was on the best horse of the race.
asserted
he → make → race
He could win as long as he could get him to settle in just his sixth race start.
uncertain
him → win → start
He did it beautifully, timing his run to perfection as he reeled in, and then roared past, Royal Supremacy who looked to have opened up a winning lead entering the straight.
asserted
who → do → straight
With 350 metres remaining and Royal Supremacy still five lengths ahead, Brown knew it was all over.
asserted
it → remain → ?
“He quickened like a sprinter at the end of 3200.
asserted
He → quicken → 3200
When he hit that top gear, I knew we had won,” Brown said.
asserted
Brown → hit → gear
The question of whether it was all worth it had been answered, and Brown was looking forward with a bank full of memories.
asserted
Brown → answer → memories
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
