Former star apprentice Vincent Hall chasing maiden Flemington winner with recent recruit Dubai Watch
Hall steered home more than 400 winners in a riding career that included winning the Melbourne apprentices' title and riding the great Makybe Diva to her first three Australian wins when his uncle David trained the mare before leaving for Hong Kong.
Makybe Diva went on to win three Melbourne Cups for the Lee Freedman stable while increasing weight forced Hall to retire from race riding in 2006.
Hall subsequently headed west to work in the mines but racing has been in his family for generations as his uncle Greg and cousin Nick were champion flat jockeys while his father Ron was a star jumps rider.
Training is also in Hall's blood as previous generations of his family were successful trainers.
'I did seven years on the mines in WA and, after that length of time over there, I just got sick of it,' Hall said.
'I started a two-week on, one-week on roster, and I started riding work for my good mate Nick Ryan on my weeks off and got the bug back.
'I rode work for a while then started doing pre-training on the side and decided to get my trainer's licence.'
Hall has started well, winning seven races from 42 starters, but could notch his biggest win to date with Dubai Watch in the VRC Member Gerald Jongebloed Trophy (1700m).
Dubai Watch has finished strongly to win his last two starts to earn a crack at Saturday's $150,000 race.
'He was a bit quirky when he got to us,' Hall said.
'He was a bit funny with his head and did a few things wrong but his trackrider, my fiancee Briar Stobie, has straightened him out and he's more tractable.
'All his three runs for me have been very good. He's just bounced out of the gates, relaxed and his last half has been the best.
'Something has just clicked and he's been a lucky pick-up for us.'
The Mornington-based Hall said a lack of suitable options elsewhere prompted him to have a crack at a Flemington race, adding Dubai Watch would be suited racing against his own age after beating older horses at his last two runs.
Irrespective of the result of Saturday's Flemington contest, Hall said the aim was to add a few more horses to the seven-strong team he and Stobie prepared.
'I love game and it has been good to me,' Hall said.
'It's pretty tough. I wouldn't say it's an easy game but I'm enjoying it and we're slowly building up.
'Things are going in the right direction, I think.'
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