Ethan Brown's coolness has been compared to Tom Cruise after storming to victory on Point Of Law in the Melbourne Cup.
In the immediate aftermath of Tuesday's win for Ciaron Maher at Flemington in front of 97,112 spectators, the 27-year-old openly spoke about almost hanging up his goggles.
Brown spent six months on the sidelines after a life-threatening fall in the 2023 Australian Guineas left him with critical internal injuries.
Maher talked Brown out of becoming a trainer and he eventually brought retired jockey Simon Marshall on board in an effort to take the next step in his career.
"He had to fight through mental demons in terms of his livelihood, do I want to be a jockey again," Marshall told AAP.
"When you go and lose two-thirds of your blood's body and have a horrific fall like that ... a lot of people don't come back from it.
"He came back and he was brave in making the comeback, but then he hit a wall.
"It was on Beau Mertens' bucks party on the Gold Coast, he cornered me, put me in a headlock and said 'I need some help, I want to be the best jockey there is out there ... can you help me?'
"Now we're Melbourne Cup winners, baby."
Marshall and Brown had a pre-existing relationship dating back to the youngster's arrival from Alice Springs when he was indentured to trainer Michael Kent.
The former jockey marvelled at Brown's development and execution in the pressure cooker of the Cup, with Point Of Law finishing well ahead of stablemates Zahrann and Juja Kibo.
"To play a small part in helping him grow and step up that ladder and be a complete jockey, it's the proudest moment," Marshall said.
"I felt like I've ridden a Melbourne Cup winner myself because of the tactics leading into it ... the way he executed the last 600m of the race was definitive.
"Yeah you have to have the horse underneath you but he was cool. He was like Tom Cruise!"
Nine of Brown's 14 Group 1 wins have been ridden since he returned to racing, and all but one have been trained by Maher.
Brown sits third in the metropolitan jockey's premiership after riding 15 winners in Victoria this season, seven fewer than Blake Shinn.
Brown acknowledged Marshall had been an important cog since coming on board about 12 months ago.
"He knows what it takes, he's sort of been there before," he said of Marshall.
"But just to have someone like him who understands it so well to help with the mindset and fronting up to these big days ... he's helped me get to the next level."
Marshall said the youngster was already among the best jockeys in the land and it was now time to make hay while the sun shined.
"It's very similar to James McDonald, who I've been working with for the last three years as well," the 15-time Group 1 winner said.
"You know you've got the talent but it's mindset and a business mind now to go and better yourself ... building relationships to get on those best horses."
