Tony Dobbin admits he would love to ride a winner before retiring at Carlisle on Thursday.

The Grand National-winning rider gets the leg-up on Peter Niven's Fistral in the Blackwell Novices' Hurdle before taking the reins for the last time aboar Ballyvoge, who is trained by his boss, Nicky Richards.

The latter will bring down the curtain on the popular jockey's career in the appropriately-named Dobbs Finale & Future Best Wishes Novices' Chase.

However, the 35-year-old, who has partnered the likes of Lord Gyllene, One Man and Monet's Garden to high-profile successes, stresses it will mean as much to him to bow out at the track closest to his heart.

"It would be really nice to go outwith a winner but that's something you can't guarantee and it's more important for me that I finish at Carlisle," explained Dobbin.

"It would of course be great to get a winner and I've got a couple of chances to do that.

"I don't know a lot about the first one (Fistral) but my agent (Richard Hale) owns him, or has something to do with him, and then I've got one for Nicky to finish with.

"Ballyvoge deserves a win and he's a horse that's had his problems, but he ran well the last day.

"Going right-handed should help him and it looks a winnable race."

Win, lose or draw, Dobbin is looking forward to the future as he intends to assist partner Rose Davidson at a purpose-built yard, which is likely to be up and running late next year.

In the interim he will gain first-hand training experience with the likes of Aidan O'Brien, Adrian Maguire and Kevin Ryan, and plans only a low-key celebration for Thursday evening.

"I've got some of my family over so I think we're all going for a bit of dinner afterwards and I'll maybe meet a few of the lads out later," he told the Racing Post.

"It's a very exciting time really and I'm going to be working at a lot of different places over the coming year.

"Everybody I've spoken to has been very kind in offering me the chance to work.

"I'm still enjoying my riding but I just feel I'll gain more experience for what I'm going into by doing that than I would from riding for another year."