The Warrnambool-based hoop, who has just completed his first professional season, is proud dad to seven-month-old Archie.

His bundle of joy is making impressive progress after early complications forced him into the Royal Children's Hospital's intensive care unit.

Rantall, 23, said he was relieved to see his son "doing well now" after a "rough start to life".

"He had a bleed on the brain when he was born so we spent a few weeks at the Royal Children's Hospital in the intensive care unit," he told The Standard.

"He keeps us (myself and fiance Ellie Woodhouse) entertained, keeps our hands full.

"He's a bundle of joy and he's flying now.

"We were told he might be a little bit slow with his learning but everything has been so quick, he's been a couple of weeks ahead."

Rantall is developing his craft after completing his first professional jumps season in Australia.

The former Warrnambool College student, who has also raced as an amateur in Ireland and spent time in New Zealand riding for Kevin Myers, was pleased with his performances.

"I had two winners and ran second at the Great Northern in New Zealand," he said.

"I had a first ride in the Grand Annual and ran eighth in that at Warrnambool and ran fifth in the Crisp on Sunday at Sandown.

"Racing, as with anything, has its ups and downs but it's been a great first year."

Rantall, who is six foot tall, works hard to ensure he is race ready.

He trains up to five days a week, in between meetings, at Rudy's Boxing in Warrnambool.

He has set himself tasks too, saying he would "keep working hard and hopefully more opportunities will come".

"Long-term goal is to out-ride my claim. My claim is three kilos," Rantall said.

"It probably won't happen next season, will probably takes a few seasons."

Rantall raced at the famed Warrnambool May Racing Carnival in front of a crowd in 2019.

But his first ride in the Grand Annual Steeplechase came this year when spectators were banned owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I rode last year in the maiden hurdles and it was just a massive buzz," he said.

"I have always wanted to ride at my home track, as anyone would, and it'd always been a dream to make it into a Grand Annual."

"So it was a little bit disappointing there wasn't a crowd there but at the same time we were lucky to still be racing."

Rantall first started riding horses in his mid-teens and "got the bug for it".

He said racing was in his family's DNA too.

"My second cousin used to be a jumps jockey, Neville, and my pop's brothers - Mickey, George and Norm - used to train," he said.

"The Rantall name is well known in the racing area down here."