PURPLE PATCH: Harry Skelton is on course to win his first Jockey’s Championship after a fantastic season, which we analyse in detail below.
Ahead of this season, most expected the battle for the National Hunt jockeys’ title to be between reigning champion Brian Hughes and four-time winner Richard Johnson, however a very different battle has emerged.
That’s because while Hughes has remained in the mix this season, it’s Harry Skelton who has emerged as his chief rival and barring a miracle, there is set to be a new name on the trophy come Saturday at Sandown.
Always regarded as one of the best jockeys in the British weighing room, Skelton, thanks in no small part to the success of his brother Dan, has enjoyed one of his best seasons to date and his new-found success has seen him soar to the head of the affairs in the jockey standings.
Skelton has ridden over 650 times so far during the 2020/21 campaign, riding 150 winners – the second most in his career – meaning he is now 10 clear of Hughes in the race for the championship.
That means he’s operating at a strike rate of 22% and given another 199 of his rides have finished second or third, over 50% of the horses Skelton has ridden have come in the top three.
Such consistency has seen him accrue over £1.8 million in prize money and, as mentioned, he looks home and hosed in his quest for a first Jump Jockeys’ championship.
