Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Formerly one of the top 5 trainers in Singapore by the numbers, Cliff Brown returned to Australia in 2021 and is hopeful that his $80,000 Inglis Classic purchase can cap a successful return to the Australian racing scene, and provide his first Group 1 win in the country since claiming the 2002 G1 Adelaide Cup with The A Train (Blues Traveller {Ire}).
After finishing unplaced on debut at Yarra Valley on Christmas Eve over 1200 metres, Sepals (Calyx) has gone from strength to strength. The 3-year-old won a Sale maiden at his second start when stepping up to 1400 metres, before overcoming traffic issues to record an impressive win at Sandown in BM64 grade when staying at the trip. This prompted Brown to book champion jockey Blake Shinn and have a crack at blacktype company at his fourth start in his very first preparation.
After settling down mid-field on the rail, Sepals trucked into the race under a stranglehold by Shinn, before exploding away to win by 3.25l, defeating progressive types Ndola (Justify {USA}) and Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) with Victoria Derby winner Goldrush Guru (American Pharoah {USA}) finishing 4.9l back in fourth.
As a result, bookmakers moved Sepals onto the second line of betting for next month’s G1 Australian Guineas, one point behind last-start G2 Autumn Stakes winner Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}) at $4.
“It was a very good win, we were very happy,” Brown said.
“We didn’t think he’d win like that but we were hopeful he would measure up. You never go to a race like that thinking that’s what is going to happen.
“It was probably the softest win he has had, it was a really good effort.”
Brown knew the horse was going well, but says there’s no way he could have predicted the dominance of the performance.
Cliff Brown | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“He works well, he’s a nice horse,” Brown said.
“He always goes about his work in good order. Everyone that rides him says he’s a beautiful horse and that he’s a good mover. Shaun Cooper, who galloped him on Tuesday, said his work was lovely and he had plenty left, but honestly, you never go in thinking we are going to kill them.”
Well above average
The Mornington trainer shared the moment he realised he had something a little bit special was after Sepals’ first win at Sale.
“I think his win at Sale (was when) I realised he was above average,” Brown said.
“His sectionals were very good. A guy called Tom Haylock does all the form for me and, after Sale, he said he returned really good ratings. He said he’s a really good horse. Those guys do form all the time so you are hopeful. When he won like he did at Sandown, when he was in a bit of trouble, he was also so good late.”
“I think his (Sepals) win at Sale I realised he was above average. His sectionals were very good. A guy called Tom Haylock does all the form for me and after Sale he said he returned really good ratings.” - Cliff Brown
Although Brown remains hopeful about the upcoming challenge of a Group 1 at headquarters, he is not allowing himself to become overly confident. His years of experience have taught him that there are far more tales of misfortune than those of triumph.
“I genuinely hope he’s my next Group 1 winner, but you just don’t know,” he said.
“It’s a fantastic race, the Australian Guineas. For someone who loves racing, it’s one of the better 3-year-old mile races and it’s at Flemington. If you are in it, it’s your business and your passion, to be successful in a race like that is always front of mind.
“Hopefully a mile will be his best trip. It’s very exciting.
Sepals crosses the line in the G3 CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington on Saturday | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“But we were probably the fittest horse in that race, everything opened up perfectly for us and we got all the favours, but he still did a great job to win like he did.
“I thought the horse of Clinton McDonald’s was very good. There will be horses that improve out of the Autumn Stakes and yesterday, and you’ve always got the horses coming down from Sydney as well.
“This is also his first prep so he could have had enough by this time next week. We have to be mindful of that as well.”
An astute purchase
Bred by Greg Perry and offered by Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Sepals was bought by Brown for $80,000 and joins a long list of successful value buys for the trainer.
Sepals as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Brown's most notable purchases include champion older miler in Singapore Debt Collector (NZ) (Thorn Park), which he acquired for $120,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. Furthermore, he also purchased The Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor), the 2020 Singapore Horse of the Year, for $140,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
“We’ve been really fortunate since we’ve been home,” Brown said.
“We’ve had La Danseuse Rouge win a stakes race, Little Miss Kubi has, The Inferno has, Yaphet has finished runner-up in a Derby and now we have Sepals. So, we’ve probably had five or six Group horses in three and a bit years, all for a very small amount of money and not many in work.
“We’ve been really fortunate since we’ve been home... we’ve probably had five or six Group horses in three and a bit years, all for a very small amount of money and not many in work.” - Cliff Brown
“We don't spend a lot. Yaphet was $28,000 and he nearly won a South Australian Derby.
“Even Von Hauke who won a Group race, he was expensive – but not by modern terms, he was $190,000. He hasn’t even made the Easter or Magic Millions average.”
Keeping it in the family
Brown also trained the dam of Sepals, What’s New (NZ), who was crowned Champion 4YO & Older Female in Singapore in 2019. It’s a family that traces back to a prolific New Zealand black-type family with his fourth dam being Group 1 winner Good Faith (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}). It was this connection that initially attracted Brown at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“After training his mum, I wanted to go and see what he was like,” Brown said.
“You see lots of half-brothers and sisters and full brothers and sisters to horses you train that have been good horses, but it’s not like every time you see them, you’re going to buy them. You still have to like the horse and anyone who has seen him will tell you, gee, he’s a good-looking horse.
“Greg Perry who bred him, he breeds a lot of good horses and puts in a lot of effort into it. He really puts a lot of thought into all his matings. That always helps.”
Greg Perry | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Greg Perry has notably bred Group 1 winners Artorius, Marabi (I Am Invincible), Delectation (Shamardal {USA}) and Aristia (Lonhro).
Rebuilding the business
Brown bought two horses from the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney, in a continuation of the rebuilding of his business since coming back to Australia from Singapore. He bought Lot 667, an Ole Kirk colt from Twin Hills for $40,000 and a Lot 777, a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly from North Bloodstock for $140,000.
He says it has been a slow process, but is proud of the results the stable has achieved in this rebuilding phase.
Gallery: Lots purchased by Cliff Brown at the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, images courtesy of Inglis
“We’re getting there slowly,” Brown said.
“Starting again, I made some really good mistakes, proper bugger-ups and they cost you money. It’s also just the time it takes you to rebuild. I’m friends with John O’Shea and he left Godolphin and he said to me, it’ll take you five years. He’s 100 per cent right, it really has. You go and buy a yearling, there’s 12 months, then it doesn’t race until 3-years-old, there’s another 12 months and then before you know it they are getting going and they are four. So, already there is three years. That’s where it all comes from.
“It’s also just the time it takes you to rebuild. I’m friends with John O’Shea and he left Godolphin and he said to me, it’ll take you five years. He’s 100 per cent right, it really has.” - Cliff Brown
“I feel we are starting to hit our straps now, but there is still a lot of work to go.
“Hopefully, I’ve bought some nice yearlings from Classic, time will tell.
“Just like this horse, they were a bit backward, but they are always the horses I’ve bought, these backward sorts that you hope in time will grow and furnish into what you think they can. They suit the way I train.”
He shared that he has no definite plans to buy at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, but instead will tale a more casual approach.
“We’ll just walk around and see what’s there,” Brown said.
“The kids come with me, Harvey and Felix, they love it.
“Last year at Premier, I bought a Camelot for $40,000 and a Lucky Vega for $8000. The Camelot is a 3-year-old type and the Lucky Vega is a beautiful horse, he’ll be ready to crack along soon.”
With 25 stables at Mornington, Brown trained 25 winners last season and is on track to exceed that achievement, having already recorded 17 wins this season. Notably, he has also trained five individual stakes winners since his return to Australia, highlighting the success of his small scale operation. No doubt the best is yet to come.
