Irishman Tom Ryan has been a regular in the winners’ circle on Australian Hurdle and Steeplechase day.
And while the jumps jockey won’t get to add to his three Australian Hurdle wins at Sandown, he is in with a chance of claiming a second Australian Steeplechase.
A year after announcing his arrival on the Australian jumps racing scene with his win on Man Of Class in the 2011 Grand National Steeplechase, Ryan claimed the Australian Hurdle and Australian Steeplechase double in 2012 with Kirribilli Gold and Megapixel.
The following year he won the Australian Hurdle again on Westsouthwest and added another on Arch Fire last year.
Ryan will ride the 2014 South Australian Grand National Steeplechase winner King Triton.
And while the jockey accepts the gelding is just short of being a top-class `chaser, he knows he’s regularly among the placings.
“He ran a blinder at Warrnambool behind Gai Waterhouse’s horse Valediction and he ran well before that at Sandown when he ran home to finish third,” Ryan said.
“Hopefully with a bit of softness in the ground it might just suit him better.
“He’s always knocking on the door but he’s always finding one or two too good for him. So hopefully some day he can win one of these big ones.”
King Triton is prepared by Pat Hyland, the former champion jockey and now Group One-winning trainer who was last week inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.
