The current Racing New South Wales regulations in place due to the coronavirus means that spectators are unable to attend race meetings, which will make for a very different atmosphere come the April 25 Bathurst event.

But if what has happened over the past decade in the feature is any indication, no doubt there will still be exciting moments before the latest winner of the prestigious Soldier's Saddle is decided.

WASHED-out, rescheduled, cancelled - that was the story of the 2010 Soldier's Saddle.

More than 37 millimetres of rain fell on the track in the 24 hours leading up to the feature race and with further downpours forecast, at 8.10am on ANZAC Day the meeting was called off.

Determined to see the feature race go ahead, it was rescheduled for May when it joined the Bathurst Cup on what looked to be a bumper card.

However, that meeting was cancelled following the fourth race after jockeys Ben Moffat and Adrian Robinson both came off their mounts. The home corner was deemed unsafe.

It was the first time in the 18-year history of the saddle no winner was declared.

EIGHT years after he rode his first Soldier's Saddle winner, star Dubbo jockey Greg Ryan again got the job done in the Bathurst feature.

Back in 2003 he won aboard Michael Wales' Branch Of Gold, so in 2011 Warwick Farm trainer Marc Conners wanted Ryan aboard his favourite.

It was a decision which paid off as Ryan worked the gelding up into third at the 800 metre mark, then found a passage along the rails. Pimpala Secret won by one-and-a-quarter lengths over Hewentwhoosh.

Five days after his saddle success, Pimpala Secret won the $50,000 Hawkesbury Guineas as a $21 chance.

His last start came on July 21, 2012 when running 10^th in the Listed Tatts Mile.

AT the top of the home straight in the 2012 Soldier's Saddle, Ideal Position was not living up to his name - he was mid-field and more than four lengths from the lead.

But with Greg Ryan in the saddle, he found space down the middle of the track and the Mudgee gelding stormed home.

It was the sixth win in 12 starts for Ideal Position, who was purchased as an unraced three-year-old for just $1,600.

He won three more races - at Mudgee, Rosehill and Canberra - after his saddle success with his last start coming on October 25, 2014. He had earned $189,730.

WHEN Fusakeo was slow out of the barriers and dropped to the rear of the field in the 2013 Soldier's Saddle, trainer Brian Buckely admitted he thought his chances were shot.

But jockey Greg Ryan kept his cool, had Fusakeo in fifth with 300 metres to go then sent him wide down the straight.

Fusakeo responded and snatched victory on the line, beating out Toranaga by a nose.

Fusakeo did not win any more races after that - his best effort a third in that year's Gooree Cup. He had his last start on May 5, 2013, retiring with a record of six wins and nine placings from 35 runs.

THERE were many good stories to come out of the 2014 saddle, but the best of them came for jockey Mat Cahill.

After serving a 12-month suspension, Cahill returned to win the prestigious Bathurst feature for the fourth time producing what trainer David Vandyke rated a "Ten out of 10 ride."

Spice Of Life travelled centre field before storming home wide to win by a half length, adding to Cahill's wins in the 1997, 2001, 2007 saddle.

For Vandyke it made it a rare feature double at Tyers Park as it added to his 1998 Bathurst Cup win with Mount Tamboo. On top of that, Spice Of Life was owned by Nick Moraitis - the man who won the 1997 Melbourne Cup with Might And Power.

Spice Of Life won seven more races after Bathurst, including Mudgee's Black Nugget Cup. His last start came for Toowoomba trainer Matt Kroop on April 2, 2018 at Beaudesert.

THIS was the year when a son trumped his father and a former saddle winning jockey took out the feature as a trainer.

Justin Stanley, who rode Elbow to victory in the 2002 Soldier's Saddle, watched on as $17 chance Prattler got the job done on a heavy 10 track.

He won by a nose over $3.40 favourite Hollywood Nell, who was trained by Justin's father Peter Stanley.

Prattler went on to win five more races before he was retired, notching up a pair of victories at Parkes as well as saluting at Warren, Forbes and Coonamble.

FOR the second year in a row Bathurst trainer Peter Stanley had to settle for a runner-up finish in the Soldier's Saddle.

This time around it was Showmaster who won by a neck after a thrilling duel to the line with Stanley's City Boots ($11).

Twelve months later Showmaster returned to Tyers Park for the ANZAC Day Sprint, but had to settle for third behind Final Trick.

His last start came on February 17, 2018 when running fourth in Orange's Banjo Patterson Cup.

ELLE A Walking had notched up the first win of his career at Tyers Park and just over a month later he returned to snare the feature.

While Campfire had pulled two lengths clear with 600 metres to run, Elle A Walking had reeled him by the 200 then raced away to take the honours.

Elle A Walking has won four races since then and is now based in the Mackay stable of John Manzelmann.

FIRST saddle runner, first saddle winner - that was the story in 2018 when Beau Hoffa won the Bathurst feature for Lee Van Den Boss.

"We've been trying to get a horse into this race for years but we've never had anything good enough," she said.

Beau Hoffa, who had run sixth in the Country Championships, was not only good enough to earn a start in 2018, but led the saddle from start to finish.

Beau Hoffa ran third in the Parkes Cup his following start and has since won at Dubbo and Mudgee.

JOCKEY Jake Pracey-Holmes made it back-to-back saddle winning rider when he guided Turcotte to victory.

While Turcotte was a horse that preferred to lead, Pracey-Holmes was forced to sit off the pace and sweat a rails run. Fortunately for him that run came.

He edged ahead with 100m and went on to win by a length. As it turns out, that win was Turcotte's last start as he has since been retired.