Racing: Dylan Gibbons excited for long-awaited debut ride

Given the dangers and challenges of his job, top Hunter jockey Andrew Gibbons had tried to steer his son, Dylan, away from a life in the saddle.

Dylan, though, said "he never had a hope of that" as he prepared for his first race ride at Cessnock on Monday.

The 18-year-old is down to ride Star Raider for his boss, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, in race three. However, heavy rain on Sunday had put the program in doubt. The weather also has a back-up option for Dylan and Star Raider at Taree on Tuesday up in the air.

Monday update: Cessnock meeting off.

Regardless, Dylan said a first race ride can't come soon enough after 29 trials and two years working and learning at the Lees stables.

READY TO GO: Dylan Gibbons.

"I'm more excited than anything," Dylan said.

"Someone asked me the other day if I was nervous, but I said I'm not at all. That might change on raceday in the mounting yard, but I just feel like a little kid again waiting for Christmas Day. I can't wait to get there."

Andrew, the Newcastle premiership winner the past two seasons, has been right behind his son's ambition in recent years, but it wasn't always the case.

"His whole younger life I was trying to steer him elsewhere, to look at other avenues, but he was always interested in it," he said.

"Even when he was four or five, you'd give him any toys, he'd somehow manage to make barriers or races out of them. He was obsessed.

"I let him go for a bit and never pushed him either way, and I was hoping he'd go in another direction, but by the time he was 13, 14 he wasn't going to do anything but ride. Since then, I've been behind him helping him."

Dylan said another path was always long odds.

"He never had a hope of that," Dylan said of his dad trying to guide him away from riding.

"I never knew there was any other way of life. When school was done, my mind was set on this, but I never looked at it as a job.

"I couldn't imagine how bored or frustrated I'd get if I had to do a 9 to 5 job, or sit in an office. It just doesn't feel what you think work is.

"As a little kid I was always ringing my grandparents, if Newcastle was on on a Saturday, I'd want to go there. I didn't know the difference between trials and trackwork, but I just wanted to be there."

While Andrew has tried to guide Dylan, he has also turned to leading jockeys Tommy Berry and Kerrin McEvoy to help his son.

"Tommy and Kerrin actually paid for my flights and paid me for the day to look after them during the Queensland carnival," Dylan said. "Tommy was even nice enough to let me stay with him for three days, going to trackwork and the races in Sydney with him. He's been good to me. After trials and things, I can message him and he'll tell me I need to do this or that.

"I'm pretty lucky I've got plenty of people who know what they're talking about who are happy to help."

Andrew said: "I've seen in other situations, the father can sometimes try to teach them too much.

"It's a game where you've got to make your own mistakes. I've guided him more than told him everything.

"There's so many facets to race riding. There's so many different right ways to do it, and wrong ways, but you've got to find your own style and way to do things."

He admitted he would probably be just as nervous as Dylan when the debut came but he was proud and knew his son was ready.

As for his chances of a first-up win, Dylan said the draw in seven was the main worry at Cessnock in the 900m race for Star Raider, which was well positioned in the Taree event. Dylan rode Star Raider to a trial victory ahead of three-time group 1 winner Le Romain last week at Newcastle.

"Sylvia's Memory is a jump-and-run horse and has drawn one," Dylan said. "We've drawn a bit sticky. Even though Star Raider is the best horse in the race, it's a bit of a concern."

Dylan's debut comes as Andrew chases a maiden NSW premiership with five days left. He has 121 wins, just 1.5 behind suspended leader Blaike McDougall, and needs the rain-hit meetings to run to push his claims.

Lees told his website: "Dylan has been with me full time now for about two years and is very enthusiastic".

"He has a good sensible head on his shoulders and, though he is tall, is light enough.

"We've taken our time with him, and he's definitely ready to get going."

Dylan, who stands about 170 centimetres, said he was 53 kilograms but had set his initial minimum riding weight at 54kg.

Asked about his height, he laughed: "It's horrible, I don't know where it come from."

"At the end of the day, it just means I've got to work a bit harder [to keep weight down].

"And I get confidence from days in the jockeys rooms when I stand beside other jockeys and I'm level pegging with them."

While you're with us, did you know the Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news -