Ryan fights back tears after Gong triumph

This was star apprentice Brock Ryan’s initial reaction after his masterly ride on local hero Count De Rupee to win the $1m The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday.

But Ryan kept his emotions in check and remained calm and composed in post-race media interviews just as he did during the race.

There was huge expectation on Ryan in the build-up to The Gong but the father and son training partnership Robert and Luke Price backed their apprentice to handle the occasion.

“There was pressure from the media and punters but Robert and Luke didn’t put any pressure on me,’’ Ryan said.

“Before I went out for the Golden Eagle, Robert said don’t look at the (speed) maps, ride on instinct and go out and get the job done.

“It was the same today, he said ride on instinct, back yourself and back this horse. Everything panned out beautifully today and I had the best horse underneath me.’’

Count De Rupee rebounded from his narrow loss to I’m Thunderstuck in the Golden Eagle to score a commanding win in The Gong, Kembla’s richest race, due in no small part to Ryan’s nerveless ride.

Ryan negated Count De Rupee’s wide barrier (13) early with a positive, confident push forward early that resulted in the four-year-old settling in sixth position, one-off the fence with the run of the race before careering away to a popular hometown win.

“Six years ago today I rode my first winner at Adaminaby at non-TAB meeting,’’ Ryan said. “Here we are today winning a $1m race on my home track.

“This is a huge thing, especially to win for my bosses, Robert and Luke. They are massive supporters of mine and they promote me as much as I can, give me every opportunity under the sun and it is so good to capitalise for them – and gee he is a good horse.’’

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Count De Rupee ($4.80 equal favourite) accelerated brilliantly from the top of the straight, swept past the leaders and careered away to claim The Gong by one-and-a-quarter lengths from Nudge ($11) with a long head to Yamazaki ($26) third.

Atishu ($4.80 equal favourite) followed Count De Rupee in the run but could not sprint with the winner in the straight and ran only 11th.

As Count De Rupee raced over the line to win The Gong – giving Ryan his third winner for the day after his earlier successes on The Guru and Divine Breath – Robert Price embraced his son, Luke.

Ryan might not have let his guard down but Robert was momentarily overcome with emotion.

“It’s a special moment to share this with win Luke on our home track,’’ Robert said.

“As for our jockey, it was a great ride by Brock. He just needed someone like our family to back him and he’s done it.’’

Ryan is due to come out of his time on December 1 and Luke Price is convinced the young jockey will have continued success in the senior ranks.

“Brock’s really putting himself into the top 10 riders in Sydney. He’s gone to another level and he’s been outstanding,’’ Luke said.

“Obviously you need the horses to get there but Brock’s been there from day one with this horse. He’s educated it with me and we’ve spoken about this for so long so for him to be a part of it means so much.”

Count De Rupee allayed concerns about his ability to run a strong 1600m in The Gong but Robert Price is convinced the horse’s future is in sprint races.

“He is the sort of horse that could be an Everest chance,’’ Price said.

“We don’t have to train him like that, but we have done a bit more with him to get him to the Golden Eagle and The Gong.

“But he has such brilliant acceleration and fresh over 1200m he is dynamic.’’

Luke Price echoed his father’s thoughts about a long-term plan to set Count De Rupee for The Everest next October.

He said Count De Rupee was likely to be aimed at major Group 1 sprints like the TJ Smith Stakes and All Aged Stakes in autumn to try and secure an Everest slot.

“We’ll go where the big money is and we’ll be looking at an Everest ticket,’’ Luke Price said.

“When he won here first-up over 1200m at the start of his spring campaign he went half a second quicker than Anamoe and we all know how good he is.

“I honestly believe, whatever we ask this horse to do he will. He’s pretty special.”

KEMBLA GRANGE TAB BETTING REPORT

RACE 5

Favourite backers knew they were trouble as soon as the gates opened for Race 5 and Selburose was a conspicuous last away. She was the best-backed runner, accounting for 48 per cent of the hold, and tightened from a first price of $4.20 to start $3.20. Queen Bellissimo, who like Selburose is owned by Gerry Harvey, made the most of the favourite being out of play to score a dominant on-pace at $6 after a best price of $9.50 was bet.

BETS: Queen Bellissimo $1500 at $6.50, $2500 at $6, $1900 at $6; Selburose $3000 at $3.20, $2500 at $3.20, $2000 at $3.20 THREE TIMES.

RACE 6

Just 20 cents separated Divine Breath and Easy Campese when they jumped in Race 6, but the two fancies turned in contrasting performances with Divine Breath ($6.50 to $4.80) scoring a comprehensive win and Easy Campese (solid at $5) one of the disappointments of the race. Although Divine Breath leapfrogged Easy Campese at the head of betting just before the jump, Easy Campese was still the most popular in terms of hold, responsible for more than 33 per cent of money wagered.

BETS: Divine Breath $1151 x $1500 at $5/$2.10; Easy Campese $2500 at $5, $5200 at $4.60; Travest $2000 ew at $8/$2.80

RACE 7 – THE WARRA

Malkovich attracted some of the biggest bets held by TAB at the entire meeting – including $19,700 at $2.30 – but he was nabbed late by Eleven Eleven, who opened $9 on Wednesday, got in as low as $6.50 before drifting late to start $8. Malkovich, attracted 62 per cent of trade, opened $2.80, hit $2.15, got back out to $2.40 before a late flurry of big bets saw him start $2.30.

BETS: Eleven Eleven $1500 AT $8, $1000 EW AT $8/$2.50; Malkovich $19,700 at $2.30, $7170 AT $2.30, $5000 at $2.30, $3000 at $2.30 FOUR TIMES, $2500 at $2.30 FOUR TIMES, $6000 at $2.20, $3000 at $2.20.

RACE 8 – THE GONG

Count De Rupee won The Gong at a much greater price than TAB put up on Wednesday, but there was no shortage of happy customers with the local galloper the most popular runner with TAB. A $2.90 chance on Wednesday, Count De Rupee’s fans had access to as much as $5.50 in the lead-up to the race with the gelding eventually starting the $4.60 favourite, marginally in advance of Atishu, who started $5 after a first price of $12 was offered.

BETS: Count De Rupee $4000 at $5.50, $3000 x $2000 at $5.50/$2.30, $2000 at $4.80, $5000 at $4.60, $2000 at $4.60, $10,000 at $4.40, $3000 at $4.40, $10,000 at $4.20, $10,000 TO PLACE at $2; Atishu $2000 at $5.50, $2500 at $4.80, $5250 at $4.60, $2000 at $4.60.

RACE 9

There were good moves for several runners in Race 9, but they were all denied by Steely, who was as low as $6.50 but started $8. Lackeen, who was the most popular runner at 28 per cent of trade, started $3.70 favourite after opening $6.50 with Kingsheir ($8 to $4.60) and Wheelhouse ($6 to $4.80) the others punters embraced. One punter had a particularly good result on the winner, having $2700 the win and $1300 the place at $9 and $3 during the week.

BETS: Steely $2700 x $1300 at $9/$3; Lackeen $4000 at $3.80, $2500 x $2652 at $3.50/$1.65, $4000 at $3.40, $3000 at $3.40, $2500 at $3.40 TWICE.

RACE 10

Dynamic Impact sent favourite backers home a winner in last, scoring despite being slightly easy in the lead up to the jump. He was $2.30 out to $2.70 in the 30 minutes before the race, but had been well-supported prior to that and was a $6.50 chance in the initial market (which had 39 cents worth of deductions). Outside the favourite, My Demetra was one who had good support, tightening from $9.50 in to as low as $7 before starting $7.50.

Originally published as The Gong: Brock Ryan fights back tears after Count De Rupee triumphs