Ballina apprentice Joshua Jones will make a rare Saturday appearance on a Brisbane city track ahead of a possible permanent move to Queensland.Jones, who turns 18 on Saturday, has five early rides at Doomben including Black Ink and Bann Ruby for Gold Coast trainer Les Kelly.Jones had his first race ride in January, 2006 but his career has since been marred by controversy.He was suspended after being involved in a race fall which killed jockey Daniel Baker at Grafton in December, 2007 and later h

Ballina apprentice Joshua Jones will make a rare Saturday appearance on a Brisbane city track ahead of a possible permanent move to Queensland.

Jones, who turns 18 on Saturday, has five early rides at Doomben including Black Ink and Bann Ruby for Gold Coast trainer Les Kelly.

Jones had his first race ride in January, 2006 but his career has since been marred by controversy.

He was suspended after being involved in a race fall which killed jockey Daniel Baker at Grafton in December, 2007 and later had his city licence revoked for breaching a NSW stewards' condition that he not incur a careless riding suspension within three months of serving his penalty for that incident.

Jones regained his city licence last October but has kept a low profile, preferring to ride mostly in the country and at the Gold Coast.

His weight also restricted his riding opportunities in recent months before he transferred on loan from Stephen Lee to Sue Birney in Ballina.

"My weight is under control finally and I'll be riding 53 kilos at Doomben," Jones said.

"It was getting a bit difficult to control for a while but it's right again now."

Jones is hoping his career will turn for the better with his impending permanent move to Queensland.

He is currently in discussions with Gold Coast trainer Bruce Hill and Eagle Farm's Kelly Schweida about the transfer north.

"I'm taking things as they come for the moment but I hope to move to Queensland in May," Jones said.

"I've spoken to both Kelly Schweida and Bruce Hill and I'm happy to go to either.

"I've got two rides for Bruce on Saturday but I've got a month to make up my mind where to go."

Jones hasn't ridden at a Brisbane Saturday meeting since he finished fifth on the Ron Maund-trained Sequallan at Doomben on January 31.

His manager Rob Tweedie has helped steer Jones' career in the right direction while he's struggled with his weight.

"He's been to hell and back for a kid who is still only 17," Tweedie said.

"He's taken on a lot more responsibility now by buying a house at Ballina and he's been riding a lot of winners lately.

"When he returned to riding after all that trouble last year he couldn't make the weight and let some people down in Brisbane so I told him to concentrate on the Gold Coast every Saturday until he was ready."