He’s been a mainstay in country racing for the best part of three decades and on Sunday Greg Ryan reached another milestone in his glittering career.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The champion jockey rode Larlabrook to victory for local trainer Clint Lundholm at Dubbo Turf Club to record career win number 3,500.
The Dubbo-based 51-year-old seemed destined to hit the mark at Scone on Friday, heading north on 3,498 but he was only able to score one win there.
He then missed out in the first three races at Dubbo on Sunday but punters didn’t have to wait much longer to see the familiar sight of Ryan going past the post first.
“I’ve been around for awhile now. It makes me a veteran I suppose,” Ryan said with a smile to Sky Thoroughbred Central after the win.
...it’s been a long trek but the results have been good and it’s been worthwhile.
- Greg Ryan
“I’ve had a good trot and a credit to (my wife) Pauline, she’s done a good job for me over the years and got me a lot of winning chances so I try and convert them and we got there.”
Never one to show too much emotion, in the saddle or out of it, Ryan admitted it was special too him to reach such a mark.
The hoop, who started his journey as an apprentice at Wellington, went past fellow champion jockey Jack Thompson midway through 2015 and now he has reached another memorable landmark.
“It’s nice, it is nice and as I’ve said, we just take it one day at a time,” he said.
“Pauline has been there for the whole career and we put in every week, we do our best and manage ourselves which gives us more of an insight when coming to the races.
“We keep an eye on everything so we have a bit of an idea what’s going on and it’s been a long trek but the results have been good and it’s been worthwhile.”
The only jockey with more wins in Australian racing history is Robert Thompson, no relation to Jack, who sits well clear on 4262 and counting.
Sam Clough, a long-term resident of Cessnock, compiles records for both Thompson and Ryan and he told Racing NSW last week he was stunned by Ryan’s performances.
"This is an incredible achievement. Greg started late and has been riding for around 26 or 27 years," he said to www.racingnsw.com.au. "He trails Robert Thompson by 764 winners but Robert has been riding for 44 years. Greg went past Jack Thompson (3322) some time ago.
"I asked Greg the other day whether he thinks he'll ever go past Robert and he simply said 'Doubt it - Robert will probably be still riding when I finish in the saddle.”
The victory aboard Larlabrook was not Ryan’s only success on Sunday at Dubbo’s Western Racing Association Country Championships Qualifier meeting. He followed the win up with another victory, this time on Faith’n’courage for fellow Dubbo trainer Lee Lunn in the Benchmark 55 Showcase Handicap (1100m).
Ryan’s win tally, now at 3,501, shows no sign of stopping anytime soon and there is the chance it will increase more with meetings at the likes of Quirindi and Orange later this week.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
