A win for master Gwenda Markwell on Saturday has the rising star in the box seat to claim the crown with just one meeting left in the season.

Ryan’s inch perfect front running ride on Love Takes Over at Kembla Grange extended his margin to 11 points over Deanne Panya

The victory helps put the finishing touches on a remarkable whirlwind year for the Yamba product, who only rode his first winner at the track when linking up with Orcym Sam on January 17.

“I only started halfway through the season and I have been lucky enough with Gwenda and some other good trainers putting me on nice horses,” Ryan said.

“I edged closer and now I am leading.

“Hopefully I can kick away.”

Love Takes Over ($9.50) jumped well and was urged along by Ryan to find the front with ease in the early stages of the Aaron Van Zanen 40th Birthday Class 2 Handicap (1600m).

He was able to dictate terms down the Mullet Creek side before stealing a break at the top of the straight.

John Thompson trained Caesar’s Ghost ($5) boxed seat and found the space to give chase over the concluding stages.

But Ryan and Love Takes Over had already stolen the march and maintained the lead to score by 1-¼ lengths.

Bill Prain’s Stroke Of Eight ($3.80) was third.

“He had the main speed in the race and I knew if I got a nice soft lead, which I was able to do, he would be good in the finish,” Ryan said.

“He traveled well underneath me and relaxed so beautifully.

“When he got to the straight and I asked him to go, he kept finding.

“I was really happy with him.”

Love Takes Over now has 3 wins and 11 placings from 34 career starts with $96,685 in prizemoney earned.

The five-year-old’s victory completed a double for Markwell at the penultimate meeting of the campaign.

Paul King’s patient ride on Star Of The Ring gave the four-year-old mare a well deserved success in the Big Island Maiden Plate (2000m).

King waited until the 500m mark to round the field and marched down the outside to give the daughter of Teofilo her first success at attempt eight.

The double took Markwell’s total to an unassailable 25 victories for the 2015-16 campaign.

Kembla’s leading leader had 27 wins last season and will get the chance to top that tally at the Illawarra Turf Club’s final meeting on July 30.