Just days after riding his first Group winner at Randwick last week, jockey Brock Ryan is looking to add a second at his home track.
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The Robert and Luke Price apprentice will contest three black-type races at Kembla Grange on Saturday after a stunning run of form.
Ryan claimed four winners in a day at Rosehill in July and had a double on his home track a fortnight ago.
The apprentice turned heads last Saturday when he produced an outstanding ride to steer Price star Jamaea to victory in the Group 2 Furious Stakes.
With city racing back at Kembla Grange, Ryan has a number of quality runners including John Thompson's Chat in the Theo Marks Stakes.
The Prices have also entrusted their apprentice with Count De Rupee's first race of the spring, a 1200 metres BenchMark 88.
"Last week was a massive thrill and achievement," Ryan said. "If I get the right opportunities in those Group races, there's no reason why I can't capitalise on them.
"I'm getting a lot more confident in those bigger races. In my first few rides in big races it was nerve-racking. Now it comes to me like it's just another race."
Ryan's path to this point has not been easy, the apprentice suffering multiple injuries in the past year.
A broken leg rubbed him out of the autumn carnival before he returned for a successful winter.
The momentum was halted when a suspension for careless riding saw him miss Up and Coming Stakes day at Kembla Grange.
"It was a bit of a kick in the guts," Ryan said. "I'd only just come back, started to find my groove again and it was a little mistake on my behalf.
"It was a bit frustrating because I love racing here at Kembla Grange.
"In the last few months I've had a few trainers jump on board and give me great opportunities. That's given me confidence to back myself and back my decisions and it's been paying off."
Had all gone to plan, Ryan would not be an apprentice right now. Instead the injuries and COVID-19 saw his traineeship extended and he will now graduate on December 2.
From there, the Kembla Grange jockey hopes to break into the Sydney ranks and receive regular rides alongside the sport's best hoops.
It's a task Ryan knows will prove difficult, but Price is confident his student has what it takes to reach the top of the racing world.
"He's riding against these blokes every day and they are teaching him how to get better," Luke Price said.
"He can break into the top group. Les Boyd can't speak of Brock highly enough, Chris Waller keeps ringing.
"It's not going to happen in the next year or two, but I have no doubt he'll make it."
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