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By Ray Hickson

There’s something a little amusing about Flying Bandit being jockey Brock Ryan’s first Group 1 ride in over two and a half years.

Jockey Brock Ryan. (Pic: Bradley Photos)

A lot has happened in the 18 months or so since the only time Ryan has ridden the gelding, on debut at Hawkesbury, to when they reunite in the $750,000 Asahi Super Dry Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

But the amusing part is on that day back in March last year, Flying Bandit didn’t appear to like having Ryan on his back and threw him off twice before they left the mounting yard.

Later that month Ryan gave up riding for about a year, his head not in the game, while the Kerry Parker-trained gelding rose through the ranks to win the Wagga Cup earlier this year.

With his confidence and drive back after a few months in action again, Ryan jumped at the chance to get back in the Group 1 groove.

“He was a big raw fellow then. I always knew he was a nice horse and the stable had a bit of an opinion of him,’’ Ryan said.

“He dropped me twice before I got out on the track that day but he got back and hit the line nicely.

“I had five or six rides locked in at Kembla (this Saturday) and probably would have filled the book but it’s hard to knock back a Group 1 opportunity.

“They don’t come along for jockeys like me every week.

“I pretty much just said yes straight away. I’ve been keen to get back into town but it’s the wrong time of year with the carnival being on so I’ve been hanging around Kembla and Newcastle.”

Ryan’s last Group 1 ride was in the Sydney Cup of 2023 and he’ll be working hard through to the weekend to ride Flying Bandit at the 50kg in the Metropolitan.

It’ll be plenty of riding work in sweat gear, keeping an eye on the food intake and making sure he’s well rested for what will be his only ride for the week.

The 31-year-old has paid particular notice of Flying Bandit’s two runs this time in and he’ll be backing up since running fourth over 1900m, with 60.5kg, at Rosehill last Saturday.

“He was only just winding up over the mile first-up, and he didn’t have a lot of room that day, and his run last Saturday was good I thought,’’ Ryan said.

“They quickened up from the half mile and he sort of struggled a bit around the turn, once he balanced up he looked like he hit the line strongly. It was a good run going to 2400m.

“It would have been nice to have one more run under his belt but Kerry’s a good conditioner and will have him fit.”

Last year’s Metropolitan saw Reece Jones notch his first Group 1 win and Ryan feels Flying Bandit, $19 with TAB on Wednesday, isn’t without a chance of capping his comeback with a fairytale win.

“It is one of those races, stayers can pinch a Group 1 and I think he’s a pretty good chance,’’ he said.

“He’ll find his feet early, we’ll have to build into it from the half mile and if he gets his chance it wouldn’t surprise me if he runs top three.”

When Ryan gave up riding he spent the best part of a year as a groundsman at Kembla Grange racecourse. Slowly, his interest in riding returned.

Flying Bandit runs fourth at Rosehill on September 27

It was a break he doesn’t regret taking, quite the opposite.

“A lot of jockeys don’t want to do it because the money is so good, I’m different,’’ he said.

“I’d rather be going out riding like I want to be there, and be competitive and aggressive like we need to be.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Epsom meeting at Randwick