Seven years, two countries, a handful of Group One wins and a wife-to-be.

For Ronnie Stewart, Sydney's 2002-03 champion apprentice, the past decade has been significant, personally and professionally.

Now he is back where it all began.

Stewart left Sydney at the end of 2005 to ride in Singapore.

It was a move that would deliver him three Gold Cup victories on El Dorado as well as a clean sweep of the 2009 triple crown aboard Singapore Horse of the Year Jolie Shinju.

After winning his third Gold Cup last November, Stewart took a few months off to renovate a house and began thinking about his future.

He accepted a six-month offer to ride in Mauritius and when that ended, Stewart decided it was time to come home.

The recently engaged 29-year-old has based himself at Newcastle where he has been doing the bulk of trackwork riding for Paul Perry.

It was Perry who provided Stewart's first winner since his return - Higashi at the Australian Turf Club meeting at Newcastle on November 28.

On Saturday, Stewart will take the next step in his comeback when he rides two horses for Perry at Rosehill, Slippery Moss in the Blackwoods CRC Industries Hcp (1200m) and Kirinata in the final race.

And in a major boost, Stewart has picked up the mount on Quidnunc for Darley head trainer Peter Snowden in the Listed Festival Stakes (1500m).

"It's always nice going around in the bigger races," Stewart said. "Even though it's only Listed, it's still nice."

Stewart is hoping to be a more permanent fixture in town in the coming months.

While he is still to nut out his goals, making an impact in the ultra competitive Sydney riding ranks is top of the list.

But he knows it won't be easy.

"Ideally, you want to jump straight back into Sydney but it's tough and it's that competitive, so you've got to work at it and get your way back there and prove yourself again," Stewart said.

When Stewart left Sydney seven years ago, he was a baby-faced kid with talent.

He has returned a mature rider who has mixed it with some of the world's best and he hopes the results of that experience are evident.

"I've learned a lot overseas. A lot of good jockeys come and ride there (Singapore), even if it's just for short stints, and I've mixed with a lot of international riders," Stewart said.

"I've learned a lot. I believe I'm a lot more mature rider now.

"Obviously, everyone progresses but I'm pretty happy with the way I've progressed and I'm sure if trainers watch my rides they will see the difference."