TONY DOBBIN (pictured) is hoping to go out on a winner when he has his last ride before retiring at Carlisle this afternoon.
The Grand National-winning rider has two mounts on his final day in the saddle. He will partner Peter Niven’s Fistral in the Blackwell Novices’ Hurdle before his final ride aboard Ballyvoge, who is trained by his boss, Nicky Richards.
The 35-year-old, who won the Grand National aboard Lord Gyllene in 1997, will partner Ballyvoge in a race named in his honour, the Dobbs Finale & Future Best Wishes Novices’ Chase. As well as Lord Gyllene he has been associated with a lot of top-class horses including popular greys One Man and Monet’s Garden.
Although Carlisle is one of the more low-key tracks it is place where the Ulsterman has enjoyed plenty of success. He said: “It would be really nice to go out with a winner but that’s something you can’t guarantee and it’s more important for me that I finish at Carlisle.
“It would of course be great to get a winner and I’ve got a couple of chances to do that. I don’t know a lot about the first one (Fistral) but my agent (Richard Hale) owns him, or has something to do with him, and then I’ve got one for Nicky to finish with.
“Ballyvoge deserves a win and he’s a horse that’s had his problems, but he ran well the last day. Going right-handed should help him and it looks a winnable race.”
Whatever happens this afternoon Dobbin is looking forward to being assistant to partner Rose Davidson at a purpose-built yard, which due to be ready later in the year. But he is looking to pick up valuable experience alongside Aidan O’Brien, Adrian Maguire and Kevin Ryan over the next few months. He added: “It’s a very exciting time really and I’m going to be working at a lot of different places over the coming year. I’m still enjoying my riding but I just feel I’ll gain more experience for what I’m going into by doing that than I would from riding for another year.”
