Sydney’s famous Haymarket district was fairly buzzing on Saturday night when Brock Ryan and his partner Madison Waters joined an excited crowd at the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. They hadn’t long arrived from nearby Randwick where just a few hours earlier, Brock had notched a winning double - two winning rides which were a study in contrast. He led throughout to win the 2000m BM88 on the Les Bridge trained Irish Legend, before coming from last to win the listed Carrington Stakes on Cuban Royale for long time supporters Rob and Luke Price.
With a very important job planned for Sunday morning the young couple were keen to get an early night. They grabbed a quick meal, enjoyed the spectacular entertainment for a short time and then checked in at an inner city hotel. With the arrival of their baby boy pencilled in for May 21st, Brock and Madison were on a mission when they arrived at a highly recommended “baby shop” on Sunday morning. “We felt it was time to start getting the baby’s room organised,” said Brock. “First priority was a cot, but by the time we left the place we’d bought a truckload of other essential items. It was a very special experience.”
Brock's partner Madison Waters, apprentice jockey and mother-to-be - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Had you told Madison last August she’d be in mid term pregnancy by early 2023, the young jockey would have looked at you quizzingly. She sustained a knee injury when a gelding called Skaifee jumped awkwardly in a race at Wagga, sidelining her for an indefinite period. By a bizarre coincidence Brock was already out of action with a nasty injury to his left shoulder, the result of a freak mishap during Kembla trackwork three weeks earlier.
He was waiting for another horse to pass before going onto the inside grass when the unthinkable happened. His mount half reared on “spooking” at the galloping horse before slipping over and falling. “I virtually stepped off him but something made me hang onto the reins,” said Brock. “I thought I could stop him from getting away but I was in for a rude shock. He scrambled to his feet and took off in a panic, giving my left shoulder a helluva wrench. I knew there had to be some damage but I was prepared to put up with it at least until the following Saturday.
“I had a big book of rides at Randwick including my best mate Count De Rupee in the Missile Stakes. He was getting ready for an important spring campaign, and I didn’t want to let him out of sight. He had no luck in running fifth and none of my other mounts got into the money. A combination of adrenaline and Panadeine somehow got me through the day. I’ve got to say it wasn’t too bad while I was riding, but I could feel the shoulder starting to ache on the way home to Wollongong. By Sunday the swelling was frightening. My worst fears were realised when the Doctors diagnosed a labrum tear and a fracture to the humerus. Thankfully they said surgery wasn’t required but I had to stop riding immediately and get started on an intensive physiotherapy programme.”
Brock was elated to win The Gong before a hometown crowd on his favourite Count De Rupee - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Madison had hoped to be back in the saddle within a couple of months, but those plans changed when her pregnancy was confirmed. Brock, a veteran of many injuries in recent years resolved to give his damaged shoulder as much time as it needed. He remained philosophical when four months passed before he was able to resume trackwork duties at Kembla Grange. He was champing at the bit by the time he returned to race riding at the Kembla meeting on Melbourne Cup day, and it was another of his spectacular comebacks. From seven rides on the mammoth ten race card he came up with a double on Ginger’s Gal for Bjorn Baker, and Mr. Rock It for Robert and Luke Price. Brock Ryan was back, and the winners have continued to flow.
The early part of his rehabilitation coincided with the heartbreaking news that Count De Rupee had collapsed and died during a Kembla Grange “jumpout” in which Tommy Berry was the substitute rider. News of the talented galloper’s suspected cardiac arrest cast a pall over the entire Kembla racing community. To his owners, co trainers and jockey the reality of the tragedy was hard to comprehend. It was left to the grand old warhorse Cuban Royale to help fill the void created by Count De Rupee’s demise. Almost as though he knew he had a job to do, the old warrior has since won a metro class BM78 on Gong day at Kembla, a BM78 at Randwick on New Year’s Eve and Saturday’s black type Carrington Stakes - all three with flashing finishing runs.
Cuban Royale stormed home from last to beat Vreneli and Titanium Power in the black type Carrington Stakes - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Robert Price was thrilled to see the veteran finally get his well deserved stakes win. “He’s been a marvel from the day he came into the stable,” said the co-trainer. “After sixty starts he’s as sound as a bell and gives us little trouble other than the odd bout of acidosis. In fact, he was pretty tied up on the Monday of last week which normally strikes fear into a trainer’s heart. Plenty of green grass, an electrolyte drench and regular walking and he was good to go in the Carrington. Our only problem is where to go from here. His benchmark is on the rise and he won’t be easy to place going forward. We’ll see how the handicappers assess him. In the meantime we’ll enjoy his tremendous contribution to our stable.”
Cuban Royale’s record now stands at a very tidy ten wins and thirteen placings for prize money of $680,000. Brock has ridden the gelding in four of five metro wins. “Almost as big a thrill as winning the Carrington on Cuban Royale was a Rosehill win in July of 2021,” said the jockey. “He was the fourth of four winners on the day for me, all from different stables. Again, it was almost as though he knew this was a special occasion. He’s an amazing old horse. You can see it’s important to let him do his own thing early in his races. You’ve got to let him come into the race when he’s ready and hope for an uninterrupted run. He looked like running third at the 100m on Saturday, but dropped into another gear in the last bit. He was charging on the line.”
In direct contrast to Cuban Royale’s last to first Carrington win, Brock’s earlier winner Irish Legend is a completely different style of horse. “He’s a bit arrogant and very strong,” said Brock. “I had to take off early at Rosehill a week earlier when he looked like firing up. I knew I’d be in strife if he got beaten but you’ve got to go with him to some degree. When they come to him he always finds a bit, and feels like he’ll handle a longer trip. On Saturday he really enjoyed bowling along at his own speed and stuck on gamely to win. It’s always a pleasure to ride a winner for Les Bridge who’s been very good to me. He’s helped to get me going after injury on a couple of occasions.”
Brock gets on well with the headstrong Irish Legend. The son of Sea The Stars held on grimly to beat Tony Be at Randwick - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Randwick trainer John Thompson recognised the talents of Brock Ryan more than two years ago and continues to offer support. Interesting to note that Brock rode six horses for Thompson at Monday’s Randwick barrier trials. “I was getting to Randwick every Thursday to ride work for John before sustaining my shoulder injury and intend to get back to that practice. Most other mornings I’m at Kembla for Robert and Luke Price who’ve been great supporters since I spent the latter part of my apprenticeship with them.”
It’s not widely known that Brock grew up in Wollongong but moved to Yamba with his family at age twelve. His love of surfing developed in the few years he spent in the popular coastal haven, encouraged no doubt by his mother Sandie who’d reached a very high level in the sport. By late teens Brock was working in a local caravan park, a job which embraced a traineeship in caravan parks and resort management. Even then he had the urge to look for new horizons, but couldn’t settle on a future direction. This was when Sky Racing came in.
Brock's fascination with racing began on a Sky monitor at Yamba. Today he's one of Sydney's best jockeys - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Brock found himself closely watching horse racing on the Sky monitors whenever he visited hospitality venues with mates. He became fascinated with the colour and spectacle of the event and was very taken by the obvious skill of the riders. With his small frame and light weight uppermost in mind he found himself becoming curious about the art of riding racehorses.
On learning that a large number of horses were trained on the Grafton racecourse, he arranged for a friend to drive him there one morning to view the trackwork session. He watched in fascination for a couple of hours and got to chat with several trainers including John Shelton. By the time he left Grafton racecourse on that fateful day thoughts of becoming an apprentice jockey were pounding in his brain.
Fast forward to late 2014 and a return to his native Wollongong. Accommodation was quickly arranged with his grandparents Anthony and Christine Ryan, while Kembla trainer Paul Murray agreed to get him started. It was late November 2015 before the Bruce Stewart trained Casanova gave him his first win at Adaminaby, the course that doubled for Mexico’s Agua Caliente track in the famous Phar Lap movie.
A transfer to the late Gwenda Markwell followed, and as his opportunities increased the winners came his way. He was later offered a three month stint with John O’Shea at Randwick which turned out to be a disaster. He was very restless in the city environment and a thoughtless decision to drive his car while under the influence on one occasion saw him lose his licence. It was a very remorseful Brock Ryan who was later cleared by Racing NSW to resume his apprenticeship with Robert and Luke Price at Kembla Grange - by his own admission the making of him. The trio enjoyed many magical moments together with the ill fated Count De Rupee, highlighted by a close second to I’m Thunderstruck in the rich Golden Eagle and an emphatic win in the Gong before an excited hometown crowd.
So near but yet so far! I'm Thunderstruck grabs Count De Rupee in the last few strides of the 2021 Golden Eagle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The twenty eight year old father-to-be is in a good space as another fabulously rich Sydney autumn carnival approaches. He and Madison are enormously excited about the arrival of their son, and Brock’s career is right on track. He only needs to maintain the deft touch he displayed at Randwick on Saturday, and his services are sure to be in demand. The ace up his sleeve is the ability to ride at a weight most modern day jockeys can only dream about. “Fifty three or fifty four kilos is a breeze,” says Brock. “If I can get a little bit of notice when these big handicap races are on, I could manage fifty one or less. I’m hoping this luxury will get me on a Gr 1 winner in the not too distant future.”
Perhaps former master Robert Price should have the last say. “Brock’s work ethic is second to none. He’s here four or five mornings a week, and doesn’t mind how many horses he jumps on,” says Robert. “This bloke even turns up on slow mornings which isn’t common practice these days. Owners enjoy his company and most are thrilled to have him on their horses. It’s onwards and upwards for a very professional jockey.”
Thanks Robert that says it all.
Winners are grinners! Brock with Robert Price after a dream win in The Gong - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Irish Legend makes it two city wins in seven days! The import led all the way on Saturday to give Brock the first of two winners - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)