Michael Brown

Michael Brown

Article by Alan Trout

Michael Peter Brown rode one winner in each of four consecutive National Hunt seasons. A conditional with Epsom trainer John J.D. Davies, he had his first ride at Devon & Exeter on August 7, 1986, when Caro Lad finished last in the Well To Do Challenge Trophy, a hurdle race for conditional jockeys.

He rode his first winner at Huntingdon on Bank Holiday Monday, August 31, 1987, when the seven-year-old Flori Wonder led all the way and held off the challenge of Tiber Gate to land the Alconbury Conditional Jockeys’ Selling Handicap Hurdle by a length. 

More than 18 months elapsed before Michael won again, the drought being ended at Lingfield Park on March 17, 1989, when Coquillage responded well to pressure and landed the New Leaf Hurdle (Division 1) by a length. 

A third victory came at Carlisle on February 6, 1990, when Landmark recorded a comfortable success in the Wetheral Selling Handicap Hurdle, beating Winged Foot by 12 lengths. 

The wait for a fourth, and final, win was even longer but at Lingfield Park on February 25, 1992 Hedgehopper led before halfway and held off Mrs Jawleyford by a length in the Marine N.H. Flat Race. They then finished third in a similar contest before Peter Hobbs took over when the four-year-old graduated to hurdling. 

Michael Brown’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Flori Wonder, Huntingdon, August 31, 1987

2. Coquillage, Lingfield Park, March 17, 1989

3. Landmark, Carlisle, February 6, 1990

4. Hedgehopper, Lingfield Park, February 23, 1992