Winning the VOBIS Platinum Showdown at Caulfield might not carry the same level of prestige as a Stakes race, but for husband-and-wife training partners Emma-Lee and David Browne, it means much more.
Their unbeaten galloper Mcgaw secured a victory in the $1 million (1200m) event for two-year-olds on Saturday, marking their biggest win in eight years of training.
The pair had previously trained Group 2 winner Belle Du Nord in New Zealand, and since relocating to Pakenham two years ago, their most significant success has been Elephant, a Group 3 level performer.
Damian Lane opted to bypass the Sydney feature meeting to ride McGaw ($6.50) to a half-length victory over Befuddle ($21), with Chergui ($13) finishing a short-half-head behind in third.
Emma-Lee Browne purchased McGaw as a yearling for $14,000, and the gelding’s earnings have now neared $600,000 after his win on Saturday.
After debuting with a victory at Pakenham in January, the Brownes chose to bypass the Blue Diamond Series in favor of preparing for Saturday’s race.
“It really is a land of opportunity when you buy one for $14,000 and win a race like that,” Emma-Lee Browne said.
“I’m so proud of the horse. Proud of Damien. Thanks for staying in Melbourne!
“Hopefully, we’ll be here in the spring. I love spring in Melbourne, and we love being part of it, so hopefully, he’s here.”
Browne shared that she was particularly fond of McGaw’s long legs, though her husband questioned her reasons for choosing the gelding.
“I bought him, and then David tried to take the mickey out of me, saying, ‘You know, he’s got a wonky leg.’
“I loved him, and obviously, we went round and looked at him.
“He’s such an amazing horse because he’s a bit of a dork. He’s got those big ears, he wanders around, he eats all his food, he tries to stand on his own feet.
“Then he gets out there and does this, just amazing.”
Lane described McGaw as still very raw, much like a large child.
“He goes to the barriers trying to take off and jump over different coloured patches of grass,” Lane said.
“To be able to do what he’s doing on race day, hopefully, that means with natural progression, he can improve, and like Emma-Lee, we will see where he goes in the spring.”
