James McDonald isn’t given to unbridled post race emotion, so it’s anybody’s guess how he feels on those days when the winners refuse to stop rolling. Twelve winners in seven days including three stakes races is his most recent contribution.
However elated the champion jockey was feeling after his leisurely stroll on Zaaki in the Tramway Stakes, it’s a safe bet there was a young rider 600kms away at Grafton feeling even happier. Twenty seven year old Brooke Stower was competing at only her third meeting following a year long absence recovering from injuries sustained at the same track.
Brooke, who hadn’t ridden a winner in seven attempts at Gilgandra and Tamworth in the previous week, arrived at Grafton with a book of six rides in as many races. All six were quoted at double figure odds, but she managed to win on two of them with copybook rides. She had Myboycellito and Qukes in the box seat in races three and six respectively, before finding gaps between leaders. Both horses established winning breaks close to home before scrambling in by narrow margins. Winning trainers Sean Hendry and David Matts expressed their delight in seeing Brooke back in the winner’s circle.
The first of her two winners at Grafton. Brooke wins on Myboycellito for trainer Sean Hendry - courtesy Trackside Photography.
It’s more than likely Brooke’s mind wandered back one year when she walked into the Grafton mounting yard on Saturday. This was the spot where a first starter called Ambridge had dumped her heavily a split second after she was legged aboard. “I remember the strapper telling me he was well educated and would be my quietest ride of the day,” recalled the jockey. “I still don’t know what happened. He reared up, tumbled over backwards and dumped me heavily right on my tailbone. I was grateful he hadn’t landed on top of me but I knew I was in trouble nevertheless.”
It was 1am the following morning when Brook was flown to Sydney and rushed to the spinal unit at the Royal North Shore Hospital. Diagnosis was a fracture of the L3 vertabra which had actually compressed the spinal cord itself. She wasn’t allowed to move for a total of eleven days after which a Risser Cast was fitted. She wore the cumbersome piece of equipment for more than seven weeks, before being switched to a much more comfortable TLSO back brace.
Her orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Andrew Cree insisted on regular checks and was delighted with Brooke’s progress over a period of several months. “He told me to forget about race riding for twelve months, but assured me I would return to the saddle,” she said. “Dr. Cree was very positive all the way through which was a source of great comfort to me.”
Dr Cree was right! Brooke was busy as she landed Qukes a narrow winner over La Cronica to complete the double at Grafton - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Toowoomba born Brooke Stower is from a family of camp drafting exponents. Her parents Ann Marie and Scott were keen participants as were her late grandfather Michael Boyce Snr and several other family members. Her uncle Michael Boyce Jnr was a successful Darling Downs jockey and actually had a stint in New Zealand. During that time Michael had a brief association with a horse who would become a legend on both sides of the Tasman. “Michael had two rides on the amazing Rough Habit for two wins - a Gr 3 at Hastings and a Gr 2 at New Plymouth,” says Brooke proudly. “He’s got bragging rights for life.”
Brooke completed the first two years of her apprenticeship with Toowoomba trainer Tony Sears. She’s ridden more winners for Tony than any other trainer, and has won more races at Clifford Park than any other track. Surprisingly it wasn’t Tony who supplied her first winner. “I got a phone call from Charleville trainer Charlotte Wall inviting me to ride a horse called Mr Fire Shoes in a 950m maiden at Cunnamulla,” said Brooke. “I knew it was a seven hour trip but I would have driven to Darwin for a race ride. He won and I’ll never forget him.”
She has a soft spot for Trail Boss who goes down as her first provincial winner. She actually won two races at Toowoomba on the consistent son of Sequalo for her master Tony Sears. He was a remarkably consistent horse who retired in 2015 with a record of 11 wins and 17 placings for almost $200,000. Horses like Trail Boss don’t come along too often.
Brooke was elated when an opportunity came up to have her indentures transferred to Rob Heathcote in Brisbane. In twelve months with the leading stable she rode 21 winners at Ipswich and Doomben collectively, gaining valuable experience as she went along. During this period she had five rides on Rocky King for Sunny Coast trainer Tom Bourke. “There’s little doubt he’s the best horse I’ve ridden in a race,” she said. “I won only one race on him at the Sunny Coast but he felt like a good horse. He finished up winning 17 races and about $600,000 in prize money.”
Brooke finished her apprenticeship with Stephen Lee at Ballina before eventually working her way to Tamworth where she is currently based. The popular jockey is a regular at trackwork for trainers like Craig Martin and Cody Morgan who reciprocate with regular race rides.
The composed Stower style is evident as she gets Liberty Head home at Tamworth from Our Joyeaux (Mikayla Weir) - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
In nominating her career favourite so far, she goes back to the Toowoomba days with Tony Sears and her seven wins on The Conspirator, five of them at Clifford Park. “It’s pretty special to win two or three races on one horse,” said Brook. “To win seven is very rare.”
Brooke has had only a handful of rides on Sydney metropolitan tracks and all of them remain vivid in her memory. “Dwayne Schmidt was the first trainer to bring me down to ride True Pride in a Highway at Rosehill in 2018,” she said. “We finished back a bit, but it was a massive thrill. It was nearly a year later when Gavin Groth gave me my first ride at Royal Randwick. I was unplaced on Red Liberty, but to ride on that course for the first time was something I’ll never forget. Paul Perry put the icing on the cake when he put me on San Francisco in a later race. I finished sixth, not far from the winner.”
Brooke’s successful association with Moree trainer Peter Sinclair began in a low key way. Peter sums it up in a nutshell. “I had runners at a once-a-year meeting at Mungindi and couldn’t find a suitable jockey for love nor money,’ says Peter. “I rang Brooke who was in Toowoomba at the time, but happy to drive down and ride them all. One of them won and Brooke has been riding for me ever since.”
Peter Sinclair had two extraordinary race days on his home track in late 2019. In early November he saddled up five winners on the day, and six weeks later landed four on the one programme - Brooke Stower rode seven of the nine winners. The pair also combined to win the 2019 Moree Cup with the reliable stable stalwart Upstart. “She’s thoroughly reliable, as professional as they come and rides brilliantly,” says Pete. “She doesn’t care what price they are. She just goes out there and does her best to give them every opportunity.”
This win was a special one for Brooke - the 2019 Moree Cup on Upstart for her great supporter Peter Sinclair - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
While jockeys like James McDonald are chasing the riches and glamour of the elite races in Sydney through the spring, this little lady will be chipping away on tracks throughout the north and north west honouring commitments to the many trainers who seek her services. At the time of her accident Brooke had just completed her best ever season with 63 winners, 57.5 in NSW and the rest in Queensland. She’s hoping to achieve a similar run rate on the comeback trail.
If the talented jockey appears a little more hungry this time around you’d better believe it. She’s got a lost year to catch up on!
Back to scale on Myboycellito - her first winner in more than a year - courtesy Trackside Photography.
(Banner image - Brooke lowered her mask so that everyone could see how chuffed she was to complete a double at Grafton - courtesy Trackside Photography.)