MAKING it as a young sportsman can be a tough task. But Liverpool jockey Ross Atkinson is hoping he is ideally placed to make the right progress.

The 20-year-old is an apprentice to trainer Tom Dascombe at Manor House Stables in Cheshire, owned by Manchester United striker Michael Owen.

Owen himself knows more than most what it is like to be an up-and-coming young sports star, having come through the ranks at Atkinson’s hometown favourites Liverpool to become one of England’s most celebrated forwards.

Atkinson would love to also make a big name for himself at the highest level of Flat racing. But he is taking it one step at the time.

He said: “I have been riding for about three or four years now. Tom has got a new job with Michael Owen’s yard. It is an amazing stable. They have got all the facilities and you couldn’t ask for more.

“It is just an exciting place and an exciting time to be there.

“It looks like it will all take off.”

He added: “I am just looking to make a nice living out of the game and be as professional as I can be. I just want to make it as a jockey.

“I would like to get down to my 3lb claim. I am on 43 winners and you have to ride 50. That is my biggest target for this season and also to build a few new contacts.

“To become apprentice champion jockey – that is something everybody dreams of. But being realistic that is not something to aim at.

“I just want to get down to my 3lb claim and take it from there. Everything else is a bonus after that. If I got to that stage of being champion apprentice one day that would be a real dream.”

Atkinson is already living his dream. His burning ambition has always been to be a jockey and he has worked at several well respected stables from north to south. He had his first ride aboard former boss Gary Moore’s Turner’s Touch, finishing second at Southwell in September. Two months later he had ridden his first winner on Moore’s Kavachi at Yarmouth.

Since March 2008 he has been working for Dascombe and made the switch with the trainer to Manor House.

He said: “I went to Hunts Cross School then Halewood Comp. I used to mess about with the ponies at first, then went to Gary Caldwell’s yard in Warrington during school holidays. Then I went down to Gary Moore’s in Brighton when I was 15. He looked after me well down there. He has got a good family and there have been a lot of people who have helped me. You just want to repay them.

“From a young age I was always interested in horses and wanted to be a jockey. I was very small at school and very light so it made sense to go down that route. I played football, cross country and athletics and I have always been a very sporty person really.

“I support Liverpool, but sometimes I have to support United because of Michael Owen.”

He added: “Tom has got a lot of nice horses, better than he used to have with a lot of class horses. He looks after me very well and puts me on to claim off them. He has been very good to me. So it is good to ride nice horses.

“I have been placed at Ascot, rode at Haydock, and also at Chester’s May meeting – our local track.”

Atkinson is the latest in a increasing large contingent of jockeys from in and around Merseyside.

Dual Classic-winner Martin Dwyer is regularly among the top 20 pilots, Warrington’s Paul Hanagan is the leading northern rider and currently heads the race for the jockey’s title, while the likes of Franny Norton and Liam Jones make it a golden age for Merseyside in the saddle. Atkinson is glad he can draw on their experience around the weighing room.

He said: “There are a lot of Liverpool jockeys around. Martin Dwyer and Liam Jones and Franny Norton they all speak to me and have been good to me.

“Martin Dwyer is a big jockey and has won Classics, Liam Jones has made his name now and Franny Norton is well established – he knows everyone.

“Paul Hanagan is another who has been a great help. They always speak to me and are very helpful. It is great to have people like that.

“It is nice they are from Liverpool as well. It is good for Liverpool and it is good for me because we have something in common.

“The weighing room is a great place to be. It is really good when you have winners as everyone congratulates you. They are all friendly and we get on well.”

TODAY’S NAP: Lord Of The Reins (3pm Beverley).