Former north Queensland jockey Dale Missen has been given a huge vote of confidence from trainer Steele Ryan to make his mark in Brisbane's riding ranks.Ryan became an instant fan of Missen when he took a team to north Queensland last year and has booked the former Victorian for his two runners at Doomben on Wednesday.Missen, 30, a former champion apprentice in country Victoria before moving to Queensland four years ago, will ride Cariad in the Hardy Brothers Jewellers Handicap (1030m) and Thund

Former north Queensland jockey Dale Missen has been given a huge vote of confidence from trainer Steele Ryan to make his mark in Brisbane's riding ranks.

Ryan became an instant fan of Missen when he took a team to north Queensland last year and has booked the former Victorian for his two runners at Doomben on Wednesday.

Missen, 30, a former champion apprentice in country Victoria before moving to Queensland four years ago, will ride Cariad in the Hardy Brothers Jewellers Handicap (1030m) and Thunder Lane in the Sky Racing Handicap (1350m).

Missen won Racing Queensland's Provincial and Country jockey award in 2008 after registering 60 wins on the country circuit.

His biggest win was on the Darryl Hansen-trained Stage Shaker in the 2008 Mackay Cup and he decided to try his luck in southeast Queensland when Hansen quit Mackay to move to Brisbane in November.

"I saw Dale ride a lot when I took a team up to Rockhampton and Mackay last year for their carnivals," Ryan said.

"He rode a lot of winners. He's a heavyweight but he's very capable.

"I think he's a good chance to make it in the southeast if he can keep his weight under control."

Missen, who rides around the 55 kilogram mark, quit the saddle when his weight ballooned while living in Victoria but after a short break returned to riding four years ago when he resurrected his career in Mackay.

Hansen was one of Queensland's leading country trainers before moving south and was runner-up in the Townsville, Rockhampton and Mackay trainers' premierships last season.

"I've had two unplaced rides at the midweeks in Brisbane since I came down here and I was booked to ride one at Eagle Farm on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago before the meeting was washed out," Missen said.

"Darryl (Hansen) has decided to move again to Caloundra but at the moment I'm still here in Brisbane.

"I'm not sure whether I'll stay based in Brisbane or move up to Caloundra with Darryl."

Ryan believes Cariad is Missen's better chance of a breakthrough Brisbane win.

The four-year-old mare has been most consistent throughout her eight-start career with two wins and four placings.

The daughter of Sequalo was tardy out of the barriers last start but ran on strongly to finish fourth to What Happenedhenry on a heavy track over 1010 metres at Doomben on Boxing Day.

"She's got a good chance and is the best of my two runners if the track is dry," Ryan said.