A gruelling regime of dieting and wasting to make the weight for the ride on Oink was made easier for Damian Browne as he was doing it in memory of his great mate Tim Bell.
Oink brought home the bacon at Doomben but only after Group I winning jockey Browne went on a crash diet for 10 days to make the weight.
Punters opened the shoulders when they spotted Browne riding at 54.5kg and popular four-year-old gelding Oink ($1.90) didn't let them down as he cruised to an easy 1.5 length win in the Class Six Plate (1350m).
Oink races in honour of Tim Bell, with the colours commemorating the jockey's memory as they feature a purple bell on his favourite colour (red).
Bell's father Grant – a country copper from northern NSW – is in the ownership along with Bell's girlfriend Heidi Whalley.
Queenslander Bell was one of the most talented young riders in the country before the 22-year- old was taken too soon in an accidental fall from a high-rise in Singapore in 2015.
Saturday's win was an easy watch for Oink supporters as Browne had the gelding positioned perfectly on the fence behind leader Dee Nine Elle, before pulling out in the straight and running on strongly to win with authority.
An exhausted Browne, who normally rides at 56kg, felt sick after the race and was stood down from riding for the remainder of the day as the toll of his dieting regime hit hard.
But he told Racenet it was all worthwhile.
"It's been a long couple of weeks for me but Timmy's mum and dad, and his girlfriend are in the ownership of the horse, so that made it a lot easier," Browne said.
"I have really only drunk water and one cup of coffee a day for the last week and a half ... and eaten a little bit of fish and chicken and salad.
"I've also spent a lot of time in the gym every day.
"The last three quarters of a kilo was tough to get off so it has taken a toll on me."
Browne rode Oink at his previous start and insisted he wanted to ride him again, despite trainer Kelly Schweida doubting whether he would be able to make the 54.5kg weight.
"I said to Browny the race was worth $40,000 to the winner – not $400,000," Schweida said.
"But he said he wanted to ride the horse again and I was quite shocked when he made the weight.
"The horse probably started at half the price it should have been with Damian riding at 54.5kg."
