Category: Jockeys

Traditionally, the Flat jockeys’ championship was decided on the number of winners ridden between Lincoln Day at Doncaster, in late March or early April, and November Handicap Day at the same venue, in early November. Those dates corresponded to the start and finish of the well-established Flat racing season on turf. However, since the advent of Flat racing on synthetic, or ‘all-weather’, surfaces in 1989, the start and finish of the turf season have become less meaningful. Indeed, the continued expansion of the all-weather programme has meant that Flat racing takes place on all bar three days of the year.

That said, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has recognised the dangers of jockeys ‘burning out’ in pursuit of the title and taken steps to rectify the situation. Since 2015, the Flat jockeys’ championship has been decided on the number of winners ridden, on turf or all-weather surfaces, between the start of the Guineas Festival at Newmarket and the British Champions’ Day. Thus, in 2021, the Flat jockeys’ championship starts on May 1 and ends on October 16, making it about eight weeks shorter than the traditional championship.

Of course, since racing resumed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, jockeys have been restricted to riding at one meeting a day. The BHA plans to review this rule in due course, but the days of jockeys taking 1,200 or more rides in a calendar year are probably gone for good.

Born in Ardrahan, County Galway, in April, 1981, Paddy Brennan began his riding career in Britain as conditional jockey to Paul Nicholls at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset in 2000/01. His first four seasons yielded three, five, 15 and 19 winners respectively but, in 2004/05, increased his seasonal tally to 67 winners; that was more than enough to win the conditional jockeys’ title and ride out his claim.

At the Cheltenham Festival in March, 2005, Brennan went tantalisingly close to riding his first Grade 1 winner in the Arkle Challenge Trophy, only for his mount, Ashley Brook, to make a blunder at the final fence, from which he could not recover. Due recompense wasn’t far away, though; less than a month later, he rode the same horse to victory in the Maghull Novices’ Chase – also a Grade 1 contest – at Aintree.

Brennan has ridden at least 50 winners in each of the last 17 National Hunt seasons and, with 42 winners to his name already in 2021/22, he seems certain to do so again, barring accidents. On November 16, 2016, he reached the career landmark of 1,000 winners on British soil aboard Colin’s Sister, trained by Fergal O’Brien, at Warwick and, at the last count, had ridden over 1,300 winners. He currently lies second in the 2021/22 jump jockeys’ championship, with 43 winners from 152 rides, at a strike rate of 28%.

On Saturday, April 24, 2021, Harry Skelton was crowned champion jump jockey for the first time, with 152 winners. His achievement was made all the more remarkable by the fact that he rode almost exclusivey for his elder brother, Dan, who provided him with 136 winners during the 2020/21 campaign. In fact, aside from his brother, Harry Skelton had ten or more rides for just one other trainer, Paul Nicholls, although the 12-time champion trainer did provide him with three winners.

Skelton did, however make the most of his opportunities for other yards, racking up 16 winners from 68 ‘outside’ rides, at a strike rate of 22%. He also finished the campaign very strongly indeed, riding 23 winners in February, 31 in March and 23 in April, which allowed him to overhaul reigning champion Brian Hughes – who had led 126-120 with four weeks of the season remaining – in the race for the jockeys’ title.

Interviewed early in the 2021/22 National Hunt season, Harry Skelton was keen to point out that he is ‘more than just the jockey’ at Lodge Hill Stables and, consequently, acknowledged that it would be ‘very difficult’ to defend the jockeys’ title. However, he did not entirely rule out the possibility of doing so, saying, ‘Of course, I’d love to win it again, but I have to look at the big picture. I want the whole business to thrive.’