Respectful Ron on special hunt

Friday, December 5, 2008

TABLELAND hoop Ron Ryan reckons his old boss, legendary jockey Jack Wilson, would be deeply honoured if he knew there was a race named after him at Cannon Park.

"But he wouldn’t show it," Ryan said.

"That’s just the way he was in all things. He was a very deep man."

And also supremely talented.

Wilson is widely considered the Bradman of North Queensland jockeys, having won an incredible 25 Cairns premierships in a riding career that reportedly lasted into his early 70s.

Ryan spent his apprenticeship under the tutelage of Wilson and will ride Piraeus in the Jack Wilson Memorial Handicap (1250m) at Cannon Park tomorrow.

The 53-year-old has never won the race named after his mentor but not from a lack of anything Wilson taught him.

"He was a very good teacher. He was an absolute marvel but he’d never give you a pat on the back," Ryan said.

"It would be nice to win it but it doesn’t always work out like that. George Moore never won a Melbourne Cup.

Gunners Barracks, from the Roy Chillemi stable, and the Paula D’Addona-trained Testify look set to battle it out for pre-race favouritism.

Tomorrow is also the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal Race Day with organisers hoping $50,000 can be raised.

Five races are on the card with the first at 1.35pm.

High hopes: Ron Ryan is hunting success tomorrow at Cannon Park in a race named after his legendary late mentor Jack Wilson.

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Respectful Ron on special hunt