Ciaron Maher is banking on Ethan Brown’s affinity with Jimmysstar to prove decisive as the mercurial sprinter prepares to justify favouritism in the AU$1.5 million (approx. HK$8.37 million) G1 Doomben 10000 at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia on Saturday (16 May).

Currently based in Hong Kong until the end of the 2025/26 season, Brown has been given permission – along with the jurisdiction’s eight-time champion jockey Zac Purton – to ride in Saturday’s feature, as the 26-year-old chases his fourth Group 1 success on Jimmysstar.

Form assessors quickly reacted to Maher’s successful move to secure Brown for Jimmysstar, who is a dominant favourite in Australian markets despite drawing barrier 11.

“Ethan Brown knows what he’s doing. He’s got a great rapport with the horse,” Maher said. “He’s been riding well over there (in Hong Kong), and it’ll only add to his ability and experience. I’m rapt to have him on.

“‘Jimmy’ is in very good order. It is probably going to be short of his best (distance). But he handles tight tracks like Caulfield and Doomben – shouldn’t be an issue.”

In 2025, Jimmysstar emerged as one of Australia’s leading sprinters with victories in three top-level contests under Brown – the G1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield, G1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick and the G1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m).

The Per Incanto gelding finished third to Beiwacht in the 2026 G1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on 18 April, surging from the tail of the field.

Jack Turnbull, Maher’s national assistant trainer, said Jimmysstar was ready to peak.

“Our team have been complimentary of his performances, but it’s been whether he’s copped a bump out of the gates, or whether he’s got too far back,” Turnbull said.

“I know there was this expectation that he was going to go bang, bang, bang, but unfortunately, his pattern is to get back, and against that class of horse, he needs to be scintillating to be reeling them off and winning.

“His runs have been good and improving and he will continue to improve, especially poking up to Queensland at this time of year.”

Jimmysstar heads Maher’s three-runner entry and is joined by stablemates Another Wil, who has drawn barrier 19 for Ryan Maloney, and Warnie, who has gate nine for Mark Zahra.

Purton will ride three-year-old Grafterburners, winner of six from 13 starts, including the AU$3 million Magic Millions Sunlight Plate (1100m) at the Gold Coast under James McDonald in January.

The colt, trained by Kelly Schweida, drew barrier seven.

Bearing down on 2,000 Hong Kong winners, Purton takes nine rides at Doomben, including Austmarr in the Listed Bright Shadow Quality (1110m), Sea King in the G3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) and O’Sheamus in the G3 HKJC World Pool Rough Habit Plate (2000m).

The G1 Doomben 10000 (1200m) is carded as S1-3 and will be run at 2.02pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 16 May.

Photo: Colin Bull