Foreman’s first day at the Office

EXPERIENCED horseman Darryl Ward will have his first Brisbane runner as a trainer with Land Office at Doomben on Saturday.

Ward has taken over as the trainer of Land Office, who runs in the Spicers Balfour Hotel Handicap (1200m), from Steele Ryan, who has retired.

Ryan had his last runner with Another Whiskey at Caloundra last Saturday.

Among Ryan’s leading horses have been Chinchilla Rose, Jasminka, Steel Lips, Cariad and Deer Valley.

Ryan has mixed training with running a manufacturing business for the past five years.

“It was getting to be a bit tiring but I have had a great back-up in Darryl and the transition should be smooth,” Ryan said.

Ward has been stable foreman for Ryan for the past four years and owner Ron Wanless had no hesitation giving him Land Office to train.

“I am originally from Cunnamulla (in western Queensland) and went to NSW to work with trainers such as Albert Stapleford,” Ward said.

“Then came an opportunity to train in Western Australia so I took it.

“We had a bit of success over there but I have two young daughters and my partner and I thought the opportunities were better in Queensland.”

Ward said he had learned a lot from Ryan and would continue to call on him for advice.

He is confident Land Office can give the Doomben race a real shake despite being beaten into fourth in the Rockhampton Newmarket as the equal favourite.

“He wanted to over-race … Rockhampton has a long straight and you don’t want to over-race there,” he said.