Image: Colin Bull
The leading trainer/jockey combination of Maher and Brown wins the final Stakes race of the year
Ciaron Maher and Ethan Brown cemented their place as one of Australian racing’s elite trainer/jockey combinations in 2025 and on Wednesday they bid farewell to the year with one final win.
The powerhouse team won Australia’s final Black Type race of the calendar year, the $175,000 Listed Bagot Handicap, at Flemington with one-time Melbourne Cup contender Future History.
The win was their second together in the 2800m, having won three years ago with San Huberto, and Brown said it was a great way to round off a year that included three Group 1 wins with Jimmysstar and an Australian Cup with Light Infantryman for Maher.
“It’s been a great ’25 and it’s great to top it off with a Stakes win with Ciaron,” said Brown.
“He was my number one seed last season and good horses like Jimmysstar and Light Infantryman were big highlights.
“All’s well that ends well and hopefully we can continue this into next year.”
Brown was at his tactical best aboard the 60kg Future History, refusing to be deterred by the blustery conditions of the VRC’s first New Year’s Eve event, allowing the eight-year-old to take his usual lead.
The import got away with some slow sections in the middle stages but was challenged early in the straight by Garachico and saw off that gelding before surviving a late charge from Wealdstone.
Future History, the $3.20 favourite, won by three-quarters from Wealdstone ($31) with another Maher import competing in the Melbourne Cup, Interpretation ($6), the same distance third.
“He’s a dream to ride, he just gets into a lovely rhythm, I’ve just been working with him and I didn’t want to think too much about the wind,” Brown said.
“He had a lot of weight, so he better just roll through, then I clicked him on the 700 and he was full of running all the way to the line.”
The victory was the ninth of Future History’s career, highlighted by victory in Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) in 2023, the year he ran 15th in the Melbourne Cup.
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