Colin died at his White Hills home yesterday morning, aged 33.

He would have been 34 tomorrow.

The Browell name is synonymous with horse racing in Bendigo - not only was Colin a talented and successful hoop, his father Allen was a trainer and brother Darren also a jockey, now a farrier and barrier attendant.

Colin took up the sport of horse racing when he was 15, starting out as an apprentice to his father.

He rode his first winner at Bendigo on May 9, 1987, on Warburgh, in just his fifth race.

The win on Warburgh was the start of a thriving career for Colin, who would go on to ride in two Melbourne Cups and win the Bagot Handicap and Duke of Norfolk Stakes, both on Cate's Mill.

Colin also rode Aisle to victory in the 1989 Group Three Victorian Handicap at Caulfield for Bendigo trainer George Symons.

Symons' son, Rod, also a successful trainer, recalls Colin's victory aboard Aisle being the most significant win in his father's career.

"Colin was a champion fella and a talented jockey," Rod said.

Colin struck up a close friendship with star jockey Damien Oliver during his apprenticeship, with Oliver dedicating his 2001 Cox Plate win on Northerly to Colin, who was sick at the time. Both Colin and Oliver raced in their first Melbourne Cup together in 1989, with Colin finishing 13th on 50-1 chance Pacific Mirage. Colin's other Melbourne Cup ride was in 1990 aboard rank outsider Rising Fear, which finished 22nd.

"He was a very likeable young man who was successful in his career as a jockey," Bendigo Jockey Club president Dr John Brown said.

"He was dedicated, reliable and highly respected by the industry, particularly by his peers."Colin raced for the last time on January 28, 2001, at Kilmore, riding Pindi Ridge to victory for Bendigo trainer Arthur Pace.

Three days later, Colin was hospitalised and a short time later was diagnosed with leukemia.

Colin is survived by his wife Marita and two children, Ashlee, 12, and Josh, 10.

"Racing won't be the same without Colin," his mother Val said.

"It wasn't the same after he got sick, but it's going to be even harder now."