Morphettville sprinter Shaun Ryder in career-best form with wins at Flagstaff and Tea Tree Gully gifts

A FRIENDLY rivalry with his pregnant wife is spurring Morphettville sprinter Shaun Ryder to career-best form.

A FRIENDLY rivalry with his wife is spurring Morphettville sprinter Shaun Ryder to career-best form.

Ryder, 32, has won more races than any other season of his career following triumphs in the 70m and 120m at the Flagstaff Hill Gift on March 8, and the 200m at Tea Tree Gully in January.

Claiming those three sashes has taken his overall tally to eight race wins — one more than his wife Courtney, a middle-distance runner.

Courtney is taking the season off because she is pregnant with the couple’s first child, due in July.

“My best has definitely been this season,” Ryder says.

“Because I’ve got one more sash than Courtney, I’ve got bragging rights in the house now.

“That’s incentive enough for her to come back and one-up me again.”

Courtney ran in the season-opening Port Adelaide Gift in October before the couple found out she was pregnant.

Ryder says he and Courtney might have to juggle their racing commitments from next season while they look after their baby.

“Maybe she’ll do one season and I’ll do the next.”

Ryder took up running as a 20 year old but his career was set back five years ago after a knee reconstruction.

He attributes his longevity to a strong pre-season and his genes.

Ryder’s grandpa Stan McPhee won the Bay Sheffield in 1937 before making the final again 20 years later, aged 40.

“He gave me a lot of advice about different training techniques and passed on a lot of knowledge,” Ryder says.