Brown 'hopeful but reserved' ahead of former top juveniles' comeback
  Story By Michael Lee     

Friday, 18 October 2019: For a self-proclaimed “bad trainer of two-year-olds”, Cliff Brown came up with the two most exciting finds in the juvenile ranks this year.

Both are unbeaten in two starts, but one already has 'black type' to his budding resume after he took home the ultimate two-year-old prize, the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) in July – Inferno  .


Inferno winning the AUSHORSE GOLDEN HORSESHOE
Inferno winning the AUSHORSE GOLDEN HORSESHOE
The second 'baby' may have missed the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, but he was equally taking in the way he despatched his rivals at his two starts, once as a two-year-old in Restricted Maiden company and then one year older in a Novice race – Bluestone.

In a pre-race interview leading up to Inferno's debut, Brown famously called his record with two-year-olds "poor". The son of Holy Roman Emperor went on to decimate his peers in the fourth Leg of the series, the Magic Millions 2YOs in Training Sale Stakes over 1200m.


Bluestone winning the NOVICE
Bluestone winning the NOVICE
The Australian handler was certainly not sorry for being wrong about himself, but that hasn't made him change his measured tone an iota as the pair (now three-year-olds) make their comeback races this weekend.

A son of Hallowed Crown,Bluestone   contests Friday night's $50,000 Class 4 Division 2 race over 1100m while Inferno, who was purchased by Brown's racing manager Chris Bock for the Barree Stable, famous for being the owners of Brown's former champion Debt Collector (now racing as Debt Agent in Australia), makes his return in the $50,000 Race Ahead 2010 Stakes, a Class 4 race over 1200m on Sunday.

"They're both okay, their barrier trials have been good. Both aren't fully fit but are ready enough to race first-up," said Brown.

"They have both drawn terribly, though (Inferno in 10 and Bluestone in nine), but I hope they both run well."

Of the two, Inferno is the one who probably had more scribes waxing lyrical about his early prowess, an impression no doubt fuelled by this image of him rushing home with an exploding turn of foot in the same pink colours donned by Debt Collector.

But Brown is still not sold he is the new heir apparent to the 2016 Singapore Horse of the Year.

"Maybe he was in a batch when the other two-year-olds were physically immature and he was more forward," he said.

"For all you know, the others needed more time and have caught up with him now. Let's wait and see, but Sunday's race remains a great test for him.

"Mike Clements' horse Big Hearted was a big runner in the Aushorse (fast-finishing fifth) and Inferno gives him three kilos while his other filly Celavi was also impressive at her debut win.

"As for Bluestone, he's come back bigger and fitter after his break. He's still not physically there yet, though, and I also think that 1100m race is a really strong race.

"Let's just say I'm hopeful but reserved for both Inferno and Bluestone, if that makes any sense."

The Brown duo will both be ridden by Michael Rodd, who was aboard at all their wins bar Bluestone's last when ridden by Alysha Collett given Rodd was suspended for careless riding then.

While those two upstarts represent the next generation for Brown, he will have five much more seasoned gallopers fly the stable banner in the $800,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m), a race he won with Debt Collector last year and Laughing Gravy (who just began a new life as a dressage horse at the Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre) in 2016 when the feature race was run over 2000m.

The five-pronged attack is made up of Truson, Elite Excalibur, Elite Quarteto, Gold Strike and What's New.

"All five horses are well. I can only hope for the best from all of them," said Brown.