Respected Southland horse trainer dies
“He trained a lot of winners in a time when there were fewer meetings and the training ranks were very competitive.”
Jonny Turner is a Southland-based racing journalist. For more of Turner’s content head to the Southern Harness News with Jonny Turner Facebook page.
Murray Brown is being remembered for being much more than a brilliant trainer by the southern harness racing community.
Brown passed away after a battle with illness in Invercargill on Tuesday, just a matter of metres from the track where he showed his incredible skill for four decades.
To harness racing fans, Brown is known as the talented trainer of over 500 winners, headed by the Group One-winning star Beaudiene Bad Babe.
The trainer’s trophy cabinet is filled with feature race trophies, including many of Southland’s Cup races, several times over.
To those who knew him well, he will be remembered as a master horseman, a fierce competitor, and someone who made time for others.
Among them is Cleland Murdoch, who formed a great friendship with Brown and raced horses with him over the entirety of the trainer’s career.
“He had the ability to engage with anybody,” Murdoch said.
“He didn’t suffer fools, but he always had time for anyone, especially young people.”
Brown’s winning tally of 551 started with Whatabay in April of 1985.
The trainer learnt his trade from former leading Southland trainers Henry Skinner and Bryce Buchanan.
Brown worked horses part-time before moving into the sport professionally, going on to be Southland’s leading trainer seven times.
“He seemed to have a knack for getting the best out of horses,” Murdoch said.
“He was extremely good with fillies.”
“He would say it’s not rocket science — you feed them and work them, and if they don’t front up, you change something.”
“He was never frightened to try something different.”
“He trained a lot of winners in a time when there were fewer meetings and the training ranks were very competitive.”
“And he did it while training a smaller team.”
As well as being outstanding with young equine stock, many successful harness racing trainers and drivers spent time working under Brown’s tutelage.
“He was always willing to offer advice, and he got a big kick out of helping people,” Murdoch said.
Brown was a talented sportsman, which surely added to his competitiveness as a trainer as well as his skill with equine athletes.
“He was competitive but always fair.”
“He was good at rugby, he was really good at tennis, and he played socially right up until four or five years ago.”
Beside Beaudiene Bad Babe (22), Awesum Teddy (10), Freeway Don (10), and Highview Jude (9) sit at the top of Brown’s list of winners.
Andrew Armour (162) drove the most winners for the Invercargill horseman, ahead of Clark Barron (40) and Brown’s great friend John Hay (34), with Brent Shirley (31) and Brent Barclay (27) next.
Brown served in a number of administrative roles in the southern harness racing industry, including spending more than three decades on the committee of the Invercargill Harness Racing Club.
Brown’s funeral will be held at Ascot Park Racecourse on Saturday.
Trainer-driver keen to honour Brown’s memory…
If Kirstin Green could carry Midnight Babe to victory, she would.
The trainer-driver will be doing everything she can to honour the memory of Murray Brown as she combines with a daughter of the trainer’s best pacer.
Midnight Babe is from Brown’s Group One-winning star Beaudiene Bad Babe, the best of the many horses he produced to win more than 500 races.
When Midnight Babe lines up at Winton on Thursday, Green will wear the same Harness Jewels silks Beaudiene Bad Babe carried to victory in her Group One triumph at Cambridge, setting up hopes of an emotional win.
“I hope I can do it for everyone. I will be doing everything I can,” Green said.
“Murray was such a great person. He was always there if you wanted advice — he was someone you could always talk to.”
Green is one of the many successful horsepeople to have worked for Brown during his outstanding training career.
The trainer-driver lines up a big team of 13 horses at Winton on Thursday.
Among them are her consistent maidens Heidsieck, Shergar, and Major Burns, who will square off against each other.
“They are all racing well and are knocking on the door. You’d think they would all win one soon enough.”
Ginerva and Sure To Rise also go head-to-head, with the former set to start a short-priced favourite.
“Ginerva went great first-up. The only worry with her is that she is backing up.”
“Sure To Rise has been going very honest races, and hopefully she can go another one.”
Raspalia and Just Like Jagger will also clash, with the former looking suited to the big Winton track.
“I was happy with the way Just Like Jagger ran home last week.”
“She has the Silk Road Final next week, so hopefully she goes good and it keeps her ticking over for that.”
Emily, Samanthas Moon, and Spiritinthesky will clash again with Princess Sadie in Thursday’s Silk Road Trotting Series Final.
Emily got within a neck of the favourite last week and looks the Green stable’s best chance.
“She is just trotting so well at the moment. It is not going to be easy again, but she should hopefully go another nice race.”
Green also starts Rakero Lightning and Bobbies Rock at Winton.
“Rakero Lightning is capable enough. She can spit the biscuit sometimes, but she would be a good chance if she can put her best foot forward.”
“The only worry with Bobbies Rock is that he seems to go his best races at Invercargill.”
“Winton hasn’t been his best track and it is a handy enough field.”