A heart-warming story is developing about a young kid who walked in off the streets into the Horsham stables of trainer Paul Preusker some years ago asking for a job but knowing absolutely nothing about horses.
Ryan Houston was just 14 years old when a neighbour, an Irishman friend whom he socialises with, encouraged him to inquire about earning a few dollars by cleaning out horse boxes.
Now the kid is cleaning out bookmakers and catching the attention of punters with his ability in the saddle having ridden four winners in just over a month, starting with his very first winner for Preusker at Warnambool on December 8 on the aptly named Longtimedreaming.
Houston teamed up with Preusker again at Penaola on Thursday to land his fourth winner in 35 days with a superb ride on the $8.50 shot Stand Up for Me who charged home over the top of Quietly Spoken who looked to have the 1700m race in his keeping when he dashed clear in the straight.
Houston has a four-kilogram allowance but it will drop to three kilograms after he rides one more winner.
An effusive Houston admitted he had never contemplated being a jockey until his Irish friend prompted him to walk into the stables and ask if there was any work.
“It’s an unbelievable journey how I’ve got this far,” a bubbly Houston told Racing.com’s Terry McAuliffe after his win.
Houston’s father drives a truck and his mother, who was initially worried about him becoming a jockey, is a nurse.
When he first told his mum he was thinking about being a jockey, she thought he meant a disc jockey.
“Mum was a bit worried to start with but she is ok now,” he said.
“I never really has an interest in horses but Paul threw me up on a horse one day and it was the best thing ever.”
Houston has had a few good mentors going through the apprentice jockey academy school in Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews, who helped him out as well as several others.
Preusker’s partner and former top-class jockey, Holly McKechnie, who strapped Stand Up for Me today, said she remembers the time a skinny kid knocked on the stable doors looking for work.
“He’s a really hard worker, he’s a lovely, lovely person, and he is an extremely talented young rider,” said McKechnie whose career was cut short by injury in 2017.
“He knocked on the stable door and said shyly, is there any weekend work here?”
“We just took one look at him and said: ‘my oath’, he had that stature to be in a stable.
“He’s just a really, really good kid.”
Preusker though had the last word.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in this kid, he’s a natural.”
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