Racehorse TALK

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Article from Spring Racing Carnival

Born, February 7, 1965

Danny Brereton admits he is a traveller. Even at 41, he admits the lure of another overseas riding assignment, if it came along, would be tempting. Brereton comes from a racing background. His father Terry was a handy jockey. As a kid, Brereton agrees he was unsettled. He started his apprenticeship with noted mentor, Caulfield trainer Frank King. “Frank and I decided to part company,” Brereton said.

Next to take on the young jockey was Ray Martin, then followed the strict disciplinarian Bob Hoysted at Epsom, where Brereton finished his time. His first winner was Fine With Me at Kilmore in 1981, as a 16-year-old apprentice. Brereton had increasing weight problems, so he accepted a permit to ride under a higher weight scale in Hong Kong in 1987. He was one of the first Victorian jockeys to move to the then British colony. He stayed there for six years, then did one year at Macau in 1994 before returning to Melbourne in 1995.

Trainers were quick to grab the “new and improved” Danny Brereton. He had refined his skills in the competitive environment of Hong Kong. He became noted for his good hands and patience. It was one of those patient rides that won him his first Group 1 win – the 1997 Blue Diamond Stakes on the Lee Freedman-trained Knowledge. Within months he had won another two Group 1 races, on the brilliant Al Mansour in the QTC Sires Produce Stakes and Group 1 Castlemaine Stakes, both at Eagle Farm. Brereton has made the occasional trip back to Asia, riding in Macau, Malaysia and Singapore. He is stable rider for the Cranbourne-based Michael Kent, and also rides for Brian Jenkins and Colin Little.

First winner: Fine With Me, Kilmore, 1981.

First Group 1 winner: Leica Smile, Australasian Oaks, Morphettville, 1996.

Group 1 wins (to August 1, 2006): 7 (five in Australia)