Racing: Jumps jockey free to ride

Vatuvei came down when a horse fell in front of him in his first hurdle start in May but has since won his next two jumps races. Photo / Thinkstock

Jumps jockey Tom Ryan has had a win in front of an appeals board and now hopes to translate that into feature race success on Grand National Steeplechase day at Ballarat.

Ryan has had a careless riding suspension reduced on appeal and is free to ride King Triton in tomorrow's Grand National Steeplechase and Vatuvei in the JJ Houlahan Hurdle.

"For a jumps jockey this is probably our spring carnival," Ryan said.

"The Grand National is a $250,000 race, it's the biggest race of the year for us. So I'm delighted to be able to ride in it."

Ballarat, however, was rated a heavy (10) yesterday and any more significant rain could put the meeting in doubt.

The Irishman, who has been in Australia for four years and won the 2011 Grand National Steeplechase on Man Of Class, believes the Pat Hyland-trained King Triton - third in five feature steeplechases this season - is a genuine chance on the limit weight of 64kg.

Ryan said the Peter Moody-trained Vatuvei was one of the up-and-coming horses of the Australian jumps racing scene heading into the Houlahan Hurdle.

Vatuvei came down when a horse fell in front of him in his first hurdle start in May but has since won his next two jumps races.

"I schooled him this morning and I think he's 100 per cent."

Sea King (71kg) is at $3.20 with TAB fixed odds for the Grand National Steeplechase shading dual winner Bashboy (74.5kg) at $3.40.

King Triton is at $26.AAP