GREG Ryan has had plenty of special moments in a career which has featured almost 4,000 winning rides, but come this Saturday he could be in for a remarkable Bathurst six-pack.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
If Ryan takes the reins of one of the contenders in the Soldier's Saddle at Tyers Park on Saturday he will be aiming for his sixth win in the annual feature.
Since the first edition of the ANZAC Day feature was staged in 1993, only four jockeys have snagged multiple wins - Ryan, Mat Cahill (1997, 2001, 2007, 2014), Troy Phillips (1995,1999) and Jake Pracey-Holmes (2018, 2019).
But Ryan stands clear as the man with the most wins.
His first win came 17 years ago when guiding the Michael Wales trained Branch Of Gold to a narrow win as the $3 favourite.
Eight years later the Dubbo hoop landed his second win with another favourite, Marc Conners' Pimpala Secret ($2.80).
"He does win big races, that's why I put him on," Conners said.
Ryan made it back-to-back wins 12 months later when Ideal Position ($3.80) stormed home down the middle of the Tyers Park straight. Once again the winning trainer offered the talented jockey praise.
"Greg is a great rider, that's why we got him for this race and it worked out perfectly," Jeff Brasch said.
Ryan's winning streak in the saddle extended to three consecutive victories in 2013. It is something no other jockey has managed in the history of the race.
It was a day to remember for Ryan as Fusakeo ($5.50) got home by a nose to win the Solider's Saddle. It was his third winner of the meeting and also made it 150 career wins at Tyers Park.
But Ryan, who has already ridden 87 winners this season, played down his efforts.
"I've been fortunate to be on the right horse at the right time," he said. "The previous two horses were both good and this bloke is another one."
Ryan's most recent win in the Bathurst feature came in 2015. That year he got the Justin Stanley trained Prattler ($17) home by a nose with a nice ride along the rails.
"I did have the right man in the saddle, he's certainly the best about," Stanley said.
Acceptances for Saturday's feature will be declared at 9am Thursday and the jockeys revealed by noon.
