While Ryan didn’t venture out to Collarenebri on Saturday, Galea and Jeff Kehoe did and both came away with winners.

Ryan was certainly the pin-up boy with a small band of punters on course, but just as important a huge number of TAB investors all around Australia on Friday.

Ryan recently returned to race riding about several weeks off the scene travelling the Northern Territory with his wife Pauline, who is also his racing manager.

Racing was the least thing on his mind on that trip but the way he rode with plenty of vigour and foresight on Friday suggests the break will have done his the world of good.

Pauline too will have benefited from the break and her judgment to get quality rides for Greg on Friday proved close to the mark.

His wins were Ready On Sunday ($5.00) in the Maiden Plate; Dandazoom ($7.00) in the Racing 57 Handicap; and $4.20 favourite Tell Me Some in the Racing 72 Handicap.

The three-year-old filly Ready On Sunday was having her second race start and her first since a 34 days break for Wyong trainer Don Robb.

A number of scratchings gave emergency Dandazoom a start for Scone trainer Luke Griffith.

The lightly-raced gelding chased gamely down the centre of the track for a third of 13 last start at Scone over 1000 metres and so good bets were landed on Friday.

Muswellbrook trainer Marcus Wilson has a strong team in his stables and after winning on his home course on August 9, Tell Me Something had two runs in stronger company at the Kensington track at Randwick (3rd) and Warwick Farm (6th) and appreciated the drop in class at Dubbo.

In one of the closest finishes of the day, Tell Me Something prevailed by a nose from Vagues Image (James Geppert) with third place Ourquestro (Dale Spriggs) a half length away third.

Ryan’s input was undoubtedly the difference between winning and losing.