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Brady Cross admits he left the saddle with some regrets but he is determined not to do the same as his training career begins to take off.

An exceptional talent as a jockey with over 500 winners to his CV, Cross’ switch into training horses is starting to reap rewards with three winners from his last five runners. An impressive statistic considering the Ballarat horseman just eight horses and four up and racing, with his most expensive horse costing $16,000.

“When I was a kid all I wanted to be was a jockey and I loved it but it was just the wasting that got to me,” Cross reflects.

“By the end I was waking up well over 60 kilograms so it was getting a bit of a struggle.

“Now that I am older you reflect and it’s been 13 years since I last rode and I probably think I could have put my head down and had a better go at it.”

Cross’ highlight in the saddle came in 2004 when he rode Group 3 Carlyon Cup winner La Sirenuse to knock off none other than Makybe Diva and Regal Roller at Caulfield - but by 2010 his childhood dream as a jockey was all but over.

Stints on the ground with Darren Weir and Terry Kelly would later guide his path, with Weir’s disqualification the nudge he needed to take the leap of faith.

“I was lost,” Cross admits when he stopped riding.

“And the income that you earned wasn’t there.

“When I was riding I never thought about anything other than race riding and wasn’t thinking too far ahead.

“But when I gave it away it started to come in my head maybe I should give training a go.

“I am glad I did take the time in between then and getting my license just to learn a bit more on the ground, you can only learn so much on their backs riding them work so I needed learn about feed, veterinary things and all that was very worthwhile.”

Brady Cross during his riding career in 2007 (Image: Racing Photos)

Cross grew up in a non-racing family but remembers getting a pony at five years of age back in his hometown at Stawell and still counts riding his hometown cup winner one of his biggest milestones.

Horses from then on became second nature to Cross but the challenge of running a business was unfamiliar territory when he took out his trainers license.

“I’ve been around horses most my life so that’s what I know and I really enjoy that side of it,” he said.

“But the business is a bit more challenging, I’m not real good with that and certainly attracting owners is challenging too but I do have some good owners at the moment who aren’t big owners but enjoying racing horses with me.

“When I had less numbers and was doing it all myself it was quite tough seven days a week but the more numbers I’ve got two staff members and it gives me the odd time off so I’m not there 24/7.”

Four years into his new occupation and Cross is finding his rhythm and keen to ride the wave of his recent success.

“The more you get down the path the better you get at it and we learn from our mistakes,” Cross said.

“Looking back there are things I’d do differently to what I did at the start but my basics of training I had back then I still use now and I believe the foundation you put on a horse from the start is the most important part.

“I have only had a couple of tried horses and it’s probably something I should start doing more of it but the financial part it’s hard to buy a horse without having the owners in already.

“I would love to have 20 in work and that’s the next goal probably but for me to do that I might have to expand and find another stable.

“They always say strike while the iron is hot so that’s proably something I’ve got to try and make the most of now.”

That iron is certainly still steaming running at a recent strike-rate of 20 per cent with Cross hoping his unbeaten mare Smokey Warrior can progress to the $50,000 Synthetic Middle Distance Series Final at Ballarat on August 18.