Opal Ridge owners Allan and Ryan Hunt battle cancer while chasing Kosciuszko glory

Ryan Hunt and his father, Allan, share a special bond forged by flying filly Opal Ridge and their own struggles with cancer.

Their story is inspirational and heart-warming, and the next chapter just might take them on a path to big-race glory in the $2 million The Kosciuszko on Everest Day at Royal Randwick next month.

Father-of-two Ryan Hunt, 35, is in remission after suffering bowel and liver cancer. Allan Hunt, 67, has leukaemia and prostate cancer.

But both men are courageously confronting their cancer diagnosis with a positive attitude while sharing their passion for racehorses.

“I always say to Dad that most fathers and sons go camping and fishing together but we do cancer and buy racehorses,” Ryan Hunt said.

Opal Ridge is the best horse the Hunts have raced, the culmination of a lifelong obsession with the sport.

In fact, Allan Hunt was once a licensed trainer and Ryan has never forgotten a childhood promise he made to his father.

“There’s a photo of me sitting on a horse at home when I was five and I remember saying to Dad that one day that I will have enough money to buy a horse for the two of us to race together,” he said.

Allan Hunt (right) with his son Ryan riding a horse as a child. Picture: Supplied

More than 25 years later, Ryan Hunt made good on that promise when he paid $3000 for a chestnut filly he named Revitup Rednut to race with his father. She won five of her 33 races and earned more than $150,000 prizemoney.

Revitup Rednut was no world-beater but gave Allan Hunt a timely boost at a time when he was diagnosed with leukaemia and prostate cancer.

Then, the Hunt family was dealt another devastating blow when Ryan fell ill with bowel cancer.

After receiving chemotherapy treatment, Ryan was in remission only to learn the cancer had returned in his liver.

“I said to Dad, let’s go and buy another horse to take our minds off things,” Ryan said.

“We had some money left over from Revitup Rednut so we went to the yearling sales.”

The Hunts managed to secure a filly by Rubick for just $20,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale last year they would later name Opal Ridge.

Opal Ridge was picked up for a bargain at the yearling sales. Picture: Mark Evans-Getty Images

“We just came up with the name, it doesn’t mean anything but I think it has a bit of class and edge at the same time,” Ryan said.

When Scone-based trainer Luke Pepper finally had Opal Ridge ready to make her race debut earlier this year, Ryan was in hospital undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

“I remember thinking there was no way I was going to miss this filly’s first start so I disconnected myself from the chemo and scooted up to Canberra for the race,” Ryan said.

Opal Ridge duly bolted in at Canberra and since then has improved her record to three wins from five starts, earning nearly $130,000 prizemoney.

She has suddenly vaulted into contention for The Kosciuszko, run on Everest Day at Royal Randwick on October 15, and is into $11 behind It’s Me at $6 favouritism in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the world’s richest race for country-trained horses.

Opal Ridge raced into Kosciuszko contention last weekend. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Pepper said Opal Ridge had come through her Highway win in great order and doesn’t plan to race her again before The Kosciuszko ‘ if the filly gains a start.

“Opal Ridge is a real tough filly, I can’t get her any fitter so I’ve sent her to paddock for a week,” Pepper said.

“We are hoping she gets into The Kosciuszko as I think she profiles a bit like It’s Me (winner of the 2020 The Kosciuszko).”

Ryan Hunt revealed his cancer is in remission after receiving encouraging results from recent scans and blood tests. Allan continues with his health battles.

But both men were at Randwick last Saturday to celebrate Opal Ridge’s win and are now dreaming of success in The Kosciuszko next month.

The Kosciuszko sweepstake closes at midnight on Wednesday before Racing NSW releases the 14 successful slot-holders on Friday.