Racing: Princely victory

Ann Browne

There were a handful of reasons for the whip flourish from winning rider Jamie Gillies when Waikiki Prince won the inaugural K.S. Browne Hurdles at Ellerslie yesterday.

First, winning the race for Ken and Ann Browne meant a lot.

Then there was the change of Gillies' own luck. Then there was the memory of his late mother.

"I probably wouldn't be back riding if it hadn't been for the Brownes," said a reflective Gillies after weighing in.

"I didn't ride for four months when my mum got very sick with cancer and for a couple of months after she passed away.

"It was the Brownes who encouraged me to come back. I probably wasn't going to."

The Brownes' more favoured runner, Poacher, looked the winner when their granddaughter Missy Browne sneaked through along the rails to lead them into the last two fences.

Gillies was biding his time out wider. "I was determined not to challenge until he got to the last fence. He got to the front too soon here on Saturday and knocked off, which is why he got beaten a nose."

Centevfoaled battled back strongly to take second off Poacher.

"I think Poacher likes a bit better track," said Ann Browne, "whereas this bloke [Waikiki Prince] likes it heavy."