Jockey Anthony Boyd returns to scale after winning aboard Smokin Hoaks at Ballarat. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Boyd, 28, married and a ­father of three, has had to overcome a lack of self-belief, weight problems, a battle with depression and doors being shut in his face to pursue his childhood dream.

He has also had two previous careers as a jockey — one as a picnic rider and another as an apprentice in NSW.

Boyd started his third incarnation almost three months ago and since then he’s ridden 14 winners including success in the Tatura Cup.

He’s ridden three winners this week at Ballarat and Hamilton and has 14 rides over the three-day Swan Hill carnival, which kicks off on Friday.

Boyd, who decided he wanted to be a jockey when he was eight, is the nephew of successful country jockey John Hunter and his stepfather, Neil Boyd, was a pre-trainer and breaker at Ballarat.

Apprentice jockey Anthony Boyd when he was 77kg and now at 52kg.

Boyd began track riding at Ballarat aged 12 and wanted to become a jockey but was told by several trainers that he was too big.

He left Ballarat and joined trainer Ricky Maund at Phillip Island when he was 18 and took out a licence as a picnic meeting jockey, riding on the circuit for five years and notching 30 winners before giving it away.

Boyd was also riding trackwork for trainer Danny O’Brien but, when his weight ballooned to 78kg, he had to stop.

“I was in a bad spot. After seeing how big I was I went on a health kick and my weight dropped to 58 kilos,” Boyd said.

Supporting his family as a trackwork jockey was difficult so, with the support of O’Brien, Boyd decided to become an ­apprentice.

He missed the 2014 application window but was able to start his apprenticeship in southern NSW and he joined the Wagga stables of Wayne Carroll.

But he was on the road all the time, and Carroll eventually terminated his apprenticeship.

Boyd moved back to Melbourne and rejoined O’Brien’s operation, and after a six-month wait, he joined the Racing Victoria apprentice intake.

“I can’t thank Danny enough for his support. Also James Winks has been a great mentor to me,” Boyd said.

“My riding’s still a bit untidy but I’m improving.

“I picked up some bad habits at the picnic meetings which I’m getting rid of.”

By Matt Malone

A LIFELONG dream will come true for Wagga-based apprentice Anthony Boyd when he is legged aboard for his first professional race ride at Albury tomorrow.

Turned away from his home state of Victoria, Boyd has dropped 26 kilograms and packed up his family for a move interstate all in a bid to chase his dream of becoming a fully-fledged jockey.

Boyd left his job with top Melbourne trainer Danny O'Brien six weeks ago to link with Wayne Carroll at Wagga to get the opportunity to take up an apprenticeship.

Boyd, 27, swapped riding the likes of Cox Plate winner Shamus Award for country life and it is a risk that is set to pay off when he jumps in the saddle at Albury tomorrow.

"It's been a massive move and it was a massive gamble to take," Boyd said yesterday.

"I've been working in the racing industry since I was a kid, I first sat on a racehorse when I was six months old, my grandfather was a trainer, my uncle was a jockey and my stepfather was a trainer.

"I always had the desire to be a professional race rider but I never had the belief in myself until now."

Boyd took up riding as an amateur in the picnic circuit in Victoria where he enjoyed 300 race rides but gave that away when his first child arrived almost three years ago.

During that time, Boyd "blew out" to 77 kilograms before he decided to get serious about a life in the saddle.

"I thought I had blown any hope of becoming a professional, I thought it had passed me by," Boyd said.

"It's only when I sat down and thought that if I want to create a future for my kids, it's time to have a decent crack and get an apprenticeship."

O'Brien told Boyd if he got his weight down then he would apprentice him at Flemington and it all looked set to take place until Racing Victoria denied his application for this year's intake.

"I was told by Victorian racing that they couldn't include me in the 2014 apprentice intake so I will have to sit on the sidelines until 2015," Boyd said.

"We went to battle with them on that given I was 27 and had 300 amateur race rides...but I pretty much had the door closed in my face.

"I was literally forced out of my home state.

"I was given an opportunity by Wayne to come here and he helped move my family and has done everything possible to get my apprenticeship set up.

"He's been a massive help."

Six weeks into his apprenticeship in Wagga and Boyd is now 51 kilograms and cannot wait for his rides on Jo Jo Girl and Karawatha at Albury tomorrow.

"When I got the all clear this week and got told I'm allowed to ride on Friday I could have cried," Boyd said.

"I knew the day would come, I just had to belief in myself and I've been able to pull it off.

"I love it here, me and my wife are from the country so we're loving the area and the weather.

"Andy Bloomfield has helped me a lot and I've also got a lot of support from Tim Donnelly.

"Now at my weight, the world is my oyster."

Carroll said Boyd has been a wonderful addition to his stable.

"He's brought a lot of fresh ideas to the stable," Carroll said.

"A lot of different ideas from the way a lot of the city horses are trained and you're always learning in this game.

"It's been really helpful having two good jockeys in Andy and Anthony to ride trackwork together, it's made a big difference."

Given his experience, Boyd will start tomorrow with a two kilogram claim.