GREG Ryan learned his trade on the Wellington racecourse and yesterday his intricate knowledge of the track came to the fore as he guided the Pat Farrell-trained Alart to victory in the $100,000 State Wide Sheds Wellington Boot (1100m).
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The win was Ryan's second in the event and came 14 years after Citi Fella, also trained by Farrell, gave him his maiden win in the feature back in 2001.
Citi Fella went on to be a handy performer for the Muswellbrook-based horseman and if yesterday's win is anything to go by, Alart ($5.50) can go on with the job and win good races.
"She's a lovely filly," Ryan said upon return to scale after the Excellent Art (GB) x Al Sahra filly had run down Godolphin's Igraine ($1.90 fav, Sam Clipperton) to win the race by one-and-a-quarter lengths.
For Me Dad ($13.00, Anthony Cavallo) held on for third after setting the early speed.
While punters rallied behind Igraine, Farrell was always bullish about his filly's chances and his confidence gave Ryan faith in the filly.
"Pat is a master trainer of two-year-olds and when he says he has a good one, I've learned that it must go OK," Ryan said.
"We took her to town last time for a Group race and even though she went OK we were disappointed she probably didn't finish a bit closer.
"Pat took her home and tinkered with a few things and freshened her up and she came here feeling great."
For Me Dad went forward and led the race with Igraine on his outside, with Ryan content to park his mount on the fence behind the pace.
When Clipperton took Igraine to the front rounding the turn, it allowed Ryan plenty of room to drive Alart through the middle of the leading pair and the filly put her rivals away quickly to score a memorable win.
"I saw Sam go for his horse and there was nothing there so I was confident I had him covered," Ryan said.
"I was more worried about something coming from behind me and running me down."
Earlier in the day the Jeremy Sylvester-trained Collar won the Wellington Cup (1700m) in a race marred by a fall that saw last year's Boot-winning rider Winona Costin taken to Dubbo Hospital for observation.
Approaching the 200m mark Costin fell from Stable Surprize when it appeared her mount clipped the heels of Crown Moss, with stewards adjourning an inquiry until a date to be fixed so they can take evidence from Costin.
