Ryan, Bateup combine with eye on Group 3 glory

The Illawarra jockey rode a double for Bjorn Baker at Randwick on Sunday, saluting on board Lady Of Luxury and Parry Sound in the Group 3 Summer Cup.

Read more: Emma McKeon named Mercury Sportsperson of the Year

Ryan has a pair of feature rides in Wednesday's Gosford Showcase meeting, John O'Shea's Bend The Knee in the Listed Guineas and Bateup's Monegal in the Group 3 Bell of the Turf Stakes.

"It would be lovely to get a win for Theresa and Monegal," Ryan said.

"She's probably coming towards the end of her career, it would be nice to get her a feature. She'd be worth a lot as a broodmare with a feature win under her belt.

"She ran enormous last start, running second, it will be good to go one better this time."

Ryan completed his apprenticeship earlier this month after a spring that saw him enjoy black-type success with Jamaea and Chat.

That was just the warm-up, however, the jockey then guiding Count De Rupee to second in the Golden Eagle and a memorable victory in the $1 million The Gong on his home track.

The transition to the senior riding ranks hasn't been easy, but Ryan has shown he has the talent to make the step up.

While he still rides trackwork for his former masters, Robert and Luke Price, the 27-year-old has also spent more time working in Sydney for the likes of O'Shea.

"Riding that double on Sunday without a claim should show I can go on with it and be a senior rider in the city. I want to hold my spot in there.

"I've been getting great support and I've been riding for a lot of trainers that I never used to. I'm making new connections and new clients and have started riding a bit of trackwork at Randwick.

"I'm trying to make the most of the opportunities in town I'm getting at the moment. If it doesn't work out, I can come back to the provincial and country level."

Ryan has a long association with Bateup and Monegal, guiding the horse to three victories.

An injury meant he missed the 2020 Belle of the Turf, Christian Reith instead steering the mare to fifth.

Bateup had Ryan booked for this year's edition months ago and she's confident he will deliver a long-desired black-type win.

"She ran a cracking race last year, drew wide, was off the track the trip and she was still hitting the line hard," Bateup said. "We haven't drawn super well again, but the smaller field negates that a little bit.

"The bonus is I get Brock on her this year. Christian rode her well, but Brock knows this horse so well.

"Her last start at Canterbury was super, another top-three finish would be ideal."

Ryan and Bateup combined for a successful day at the Sapphire Coast on Monday, the duo recording two seconds and a win through Crackalacka.

The mare claimed her second-straight victory in a 1212 metres class two and Bateup is confident her best is still to come.

"She's very much still a work in progress," Bateup said. "We've only had her for this preparation.

"She's quite exciting, she's got a nice turn of foot. We'll just keep working her through the grades. Down the line, she's potentially a horse that we'll look at for races like the Midways."