Tom Ryan seized his opportunity at Ballarat on Sunday, guiding Enchanted Elle to victory in the $100,000 J J Houlahan Hurdle and marking a memorable feature win.

Regular rider Will Gordon, who partnered the mare to back-to-back wins, chose to ride Farag in the 3250m test, opening the door for Ryan to claim an all-the-way success.

It was Ryan’s first time aboard the Jakkalberry mare, and he could not have been more impressed.

“She’s so tough and she’s so rapid at her hurdles,” he said.

“She’s a proper hurdler; she’s so quick, she spends no time in the air, she gets about a centimetre over the top of them and there’s no waiting around with her. She’s a joy to ride.”

Ryan allowed Enchanted Elle to adopt her natural on-pace style, dictating terms with a clear margin early before steadying the tempo and then lifting again before the turn for home.

Despite tiring in the final stages, the $6.50 chance held on by half-a-length from Sing For Peace ($3.70), with Right Now ($5.50) a further two lengths behind.

Meanwhile, favourite Farag ($2.40) dropped out before the home bend and was pulled up by Gordon.

The success capped off a special day for connections, with Enchanted Elle’s win coming just 40 minutes after her brother Hit The Road Jack claimed the $50,000 Gotta Take Care Hurdle (3600m).

Remarkably, both siblings had also scored at Coleraine the week prior.

Trainer Symon Wilde praised the mare’s consistency and outlined plans for her Warrnambool campaign.

“She’s had a wonderful season, she’s won four from six, she was second in another one and the race she didn’t perform in, I backed her up when I shouldn’t, so it was my mistake,” Wilde said.

“So, her record should be really almost perfect. She’s a dashing little thing, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what she can do next year. She might end up in a Galleywood Hurdle, possibly.”