Leading jockey Corey Brown expects Saturday's Group Two Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill to be a cracker.Brown will jump aboard star mare More Joyous for the first time in the absence of her suspended regular rider Nash Rawiller and is thrilled to have picked up the plum ride in the 1400m feature."My manager and I actually had a talk about it this morning saying what a strong race it is," Brown said."More Joyous is a quality mare and she showed that a couple of weeks ago when she drew badly, carrie
Leading jockey Corey Brown expects Saturday's Group Two Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill to be a cracker.
Brown will jump aboard star mare More Joyous for the first time in the absence of her suspended regular rider Nash Rawiller and is thrilled to have picked up the plum ride in the 1400m feature.
"My manager and I actually had a talk about it this morning saying what a strong race it is," Brown said.
"More Joyous is a quality mare and she showed that a couple of weeks ago when she drew badly, carried heaps of weight and still managed to win quite easily first-up.
"Although it's at Nash's expense, I'm really happy to have picked up the ride and be filling his boots."
More Joyous is one of seven Group One winners nominated for the Theo Marks along with a host of potential topliners including a budding star Brown knows plenty about - Rothesay.
The Gerald Ryan-trained Rothesay indicated he's in fine order ahead of the spring with an easy barrier trial win at Rosehill last Tuesday week.
Brown was Rothesay's regular rider when the son of Fastnet Rock began his racing career but lost the ride when he broke his collarbone during the autumn carnival.
"He's a horse loaded with ability and he showed that during the Brisbane winter," Brown said.
"After seeing his trial the other day, he looks to have come back well."
A bulked-up More Joyous returned to racing at Rosehill on August 28 with an explosive win in the Listed Sheraco Stakes (1100m) carrying 59kg.
It was the daughter of More Than Ready's fifth win in a row stretching across three preparations and indicated the four-year-old could be in for her best campaign yet.
Brown was given the call-up to ride the Gai Waterhouse-trained and John Singleton-owned mare after Rawiller was suspended for causing interference in the Golden Rose on the same day More Joyous returned a winner.
The Theo Marks will be More Joyous' first test outside her own sex but Brown has liked what he's seen from the mare heading into the clash.
"Everything seems to be going right for her at the moment, she's strengthened up from what she was before and I'm more than happy to be riding her," he said.
In the day's other feature, the Group Three Research Stakes (1200m), Brown gives Patronyme another chance.
Patronyme started $4 in the Concorde Stakes (1100m) on Golden Rose day but turned in her worst first-up effort to finish eighth of nine to Reward For Effort.
"I did have a couple of offers in the race but decided to stick with her," Brown said.
"I know she was very disappointing first-up, and I couldn't pinpoint what went wrong, but I know she's better than that and I'm happy to give her another chance."