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Jockeys: The Podcast - 'flying' Jack Mitchell targeting domestic Group One

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Tue 6 Oct 2026

Jack Mitchell has explained how learning to fly aeroplanes and enjoy the lighter side of life has helped his career in the saddle.

Speaking to host Adam McNamara on the latest Jockeys: The Podcast, Mitchell revealed: "It is random, but I've always had a thing with aviation.

"When we were kids, we used to go to the Channel Islands and my auntie's house was right at the end of the runway. So I used to sneak off and go and watch all the planes. And I just loved planes.

"It scares my wife to pieces, but I've actually got a picture in the downstairs toilet and it's a picture of a racehorse and a plane above it. And it says, 'everything will kill you so choose something fun.'"

Having started in the weighing room in 2005, Mitchell has seen many jockeys come and go, but believes that the current crop of young riders is looking positive for the sport. Although some of the more flamboyant youngsters - "Gucci trainers, a bit of an opinion to themselves" - are kept in check by some of the older jockeys.

"There's a good level of riding with the younger riders," he said. "But I think a lot of it is experience. And I think you can kind of gauge who's going to be okay and who's not - the lads who are asking questions.

"There's a few that do it now, like Ashley Lewis, lovely kid. He's going around before the first race asking questions.

"Little things like that. He'll do well because he prepares well. Like Billy [Loughnane] did."

Though a veteran of the weighing room, Mitchell's own career highlight came recently when he secured a first Group One success when riding Saddadd to success in the Grosse Preis Von Baden in Germany.

"I actually thought I was getting beat because the French horse [Parachutiste] came up on my inside and my horse hadn't gone mile and a half ever, so we were into unchartered waters," he recalled.

"We didn't know what was going to happen. And he dug deep and I felt myself going, cause I was just throwing the kitchen sink at him.

"Obviously you want that feeling again, but I was still in disbelief because even though I celebrated, there's a camera that follows you around on the inside and they had it in Munich where I just got chinned a couple of weeks beforehand and they hadn't called the result.

"The next thing is to get a Group One here. But Group One rides are hard to come by, let alone winning.

"So the fact that we actually won one was incredible."

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