David Power Jockeys’ Cup: ten leading contenders and a tip

Age: 26. Winners in Britain this season: 41. Betfair odds: 6/4 fav.

The champion jockey will be most people’s favourite to win the Jockeys’ Cup as he’s No 1 for Paul Nicholls and will no doubt get a steady stream of top Saturday horses to ride, such as Bravemansgame, Ginny’s Destiny, Stage Star, Captain Teague, Stay Away Fay and Regent’s Stroll. He won’t go short of getting outside rides, either. However, like all his weighing-room colleagues, he’s going to need to steer clear of injury and suspensions. For instance, a knee injury kept him on the sidelines from late July to early October this year. 

X: @CobdenHarry Insta:

Age: 35. Winners: 78. Betfair odds: 9/4.

The 2020/21 champion jockey is setting the pace in this season’s title race with the help of his brother, Dan, for whom he has been No 1 rider for more than ten years. The nine-time Cheltenham Festival winner seems certain to be in the thick of things most Saturdays, with Protektorat, Grey Dawning, Langer Dan and L’Eau Du Sud being among his exciting rides. Skelton is married to fellow jockey Bridget Andrews and the couple had their first child, Rory, in April of this year. 

X: @harryskelton89  Insta:

Age: 35. Winners: 14. Betfair odds: 5/1.

Don’t be deceived by De Boinville’s modest tally of 14 winners this season. Like the powerhouse stable of Nicky Henderson where he is No 1, he sat out most of the summer. The Henderson team is gently clicking into gear, just in time for De Boinville’s Jockeys’ Cup challenge. De Boinville has ridden more Grade One winners than any other British-based Jump jockey who is currently active, guiding such as Sprinter Sacre, Altior, Shishkin and Coneygree to glory. The fabulous horses he can look forward to this winter include Constitution Hill, Jonbon and Sir Gino. 

X: @NdeBoinville Insta:

Age: 27. Winners: 79. Betfair odds: 11/2.

He would surely have been crowned champion jockey last season but for spending seven weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury early in the year. One moment he was going to win a Grade One prize at Aintree, the next he was in hospital. It goes with the territory. Bowen is again in the thick of the title race and he will no doubt be a regular in races shown on ITV, with his Dad, Peter, and Olly Murphy among those providing him with plenty of good rides. His star horse for the season could be leading staying hurdler Strong Leader. 

X: @Sean_Bowen_ Insta:

Age: 34. Winners: 0. Betfair odds: 16/1.

Do not expect to see Townend in Britain on a regular basis over the next five months, but do expect him to make a splash on Willie Mullins-trained horses when he does journey over. Most of his 47 rides in Britain last season would have been on ITV, and he won 16 plus was placed in 16 more. Moreover, Mullins has hinted he could have runners in more of Britain’s big races this campaign after winning the trainers’ championship last term. The wonderful horses that Townend is in line to ride are endless, with Galopin des Champs, Stage Man, Lossiemouth, Gaelic Warrior, Ballyburn, El Fabiolo and Impaire Et Passe being just a few. 

X: @PTownend Insta:

Age: 32. Winners: 56. Betfair odds: 20/1.

Twiston-Davies has ridden more than 1400 winners and is firmly on course to chalk up his ninth century of winners this season. His strike-rate of 20 per cent this campaign is impressive. His dad, Nigel, is his main source of winners but Sam Thomas and Neil Mulholland are among those who also regularly call on his services. Broadway Boy and Lump Sum are likely to be among his most exciting rides, and you can bank on Twiston-Davies making the most of any half-chances that come his way. 

X: @samtwiston Insta:

Age: 32. Winners: 42. Betfair odds: 20/1.

Sheehan showed he was a match for anyone in the big races granted the opportunity last winter when he rode the winners of the Coral Gold Cup, December Gold Cup and King George VI Chase in rapid succession. He snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in two of those races, when winning on Fugitiv and Hewick. He ended the season with a career-best 91 winners, and is enjoying another lucrative time this term. Jamie Snowden seems certain to provide him with plenty of chances to accumulate points, including aboard such as Ga Law, Colonel Harry and You Wear It Well. 

X: @GavinSheehan92 Insta:

Age: 28. Winners: 25. Betfair odds: 20/1.

The Jockeys’ Cup is far from all about winners. It will be those riders who can consistently make the frame who are rewarded and a quick glance at Burke’s stats this season suggest he could accumulate plenty of points, especially after linking up with Fergal O’Brien this season following the retirement of Paddy Brennan. Burke has won or finished in the first four on 102 of his 180 rides this season. In other words, he would have picked up points in 56.6% of the races he has ridden in, had they all been on ITV! Burke will be hoping O’Brien can find horses for the bigger races, with Dysart Enos and Crambo among them. 

X: @JohnnyBurke2  Insta:

Age: 18. Winners: 14. Betfair odds: not quoted.

The Jockeys’ Cup is not going to just reward the established stars of the weighing room. There is a £25,000 prize for the leading conditional and Gingell’s ears must have pricked up when he first heard that news. He’s established as one of the best conditional jockeys around and we can expect to see him in plenty of the ITV races with the considerable support of Joe Tizzard, his uncle, and Paul Nicholls. 

X: @gingell_freddie  Insta: account private 

Age: 23. Winners: 12. Betfair odds: not quoted.

Another conditional to keep an eye on will be Johnston, who enjoyed a purple patch last month and has already ridden winners for top yards such as Neil Mulholland, Sam Thomas and Olly Murphy. Anyone putting a £1 bet on all his rides blind this season would be almost £40 in profit. Able to ride at 9st 9lb, plenty of trainers will be keeping him in mind. 

X: @D_Johnston01 Insta:

VERDICT:

Champion jockey Harry Cobden will be hoping his lack of rides on day one of the competition (he has no rides in the ITV races) is a rarity. He is likely to be in the thick of the action on most ITV race days, but Harry Skelton makes more appeal at 9/4. I'm not sure his older brother, Dan, has ever had a stronger team. Nico De Boinville will have Nicky Henderson's powerful team to rely on but may just lack the firepower of the big two.

Bet now: Harry Skelton to be Jockeys' Cup champion at 9/4 with Betfair.