February 2026

David Egan

admin February 9, 2026

Born on June 19, 1999 in Kildare, Ireland, David Egan is the son of jockey John Egan and trainer Sandra Hughes, the grandson of trainer Dessie Hughes and the nephew of jockey Richard Hughes. He grew up in his native land, where he competed in pony racing from an early age and rode out for his grandfather and, later, Rathbride trainer Willie McCreery during weekends and school holidays. He also rode out for David Elsworth when on holiday in Britain but, in 2015, made a permanent move across the Irish Sea to live with his father.

Egan attended the British Racing School in Newmarket and subsequently became apprenticed to Roger Varian at Kremlin House Stables on the Fordham Road. He rode his first winner, Etienne Gerard, trained by Nigel Tinkler, in an apprentice handicap at Windsor on July 4, 2016. Egan rode just seven winners in his inaugural year, but in 2017 upped his annual tally to 61 winners, including 53 in the qualifying period for the apprentices’ championship, which were sufficient to give him the title, albeit by just a single winner from his nearest rival, Kieran Shoemark.

Egan rode out his remaining 3lb claim on Keeper’s Choice, trained by Denis Coakley, in a handicap at Newbury on June 14, 2018. At that stage, he said, “It’s great. Hopefully we will keep things rolling over now I’ve lost the claim as that is what every apprentice looks for. I’ve got great people supporting me to help bring me to the next level.” On August 2, 2018, Egan rode his first Pattern winner, Pilaster, trained by Varian, in the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.

In 2019, Egan, 20, signed a retainer with prominent Saudi Arabian owner Prince Abdul Rahman Abdullah Faisal, took his first ride in a British Classic – finishing third in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Qabala, trained by Varian – and rode his first Royal Ascot winner, Daahyeh, also trained by Varian, in the Albany Stakes.

In 2021, Egan completed a notable double on Mishriff, owned by Prince Faisal and trained by John Gosden, winning the most valuable race in the world, the Saudi Cup, at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February and the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan, Dubai in March. He lost his retainer in July 2022 but, riding freelance, he won the St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster on Eldar Eldarov, trained by Varian, later that year and the Irish equivalent on the same horse in 2023. In December 2023, he replaced Kevin Stott as first-choice jockey to Amo Racing, and so began a lucrative association that was extended twice in 2025, to the end of 2026 and, again, to the end of 2028.

Clifford Lee

admin February 9, 2026

Born on February 11, 1996 in Sidcup, Kent, Clifford Lee attended the British Racing School in Newmarket before becoming apprenticed to local trainer Ed Walker. He took his first ride on Duke Of Destiny, trained by Walker, in a handicap at Nottingham on April 29, 2014 and rode his first winner, Persona Grata, also trained by Walker, in an apprentice handicap at Wolverhampton on December 2, 2014. After a single winner in 2014 and another in 2015, Lee moved north to join Karl Burke in Coverham, North Yorkshire and rode his first winner for his new boss, Felix Leiter, in a handicap at Lingfield on May 25, 2016.

Thereafter his career has been one of steady progression, as his stock has risen alongside that of Burke. Lee rode 24 winners in 2016, 39 in 2017 and 32 in 2018, thereby riding out his claim and, as stable jockey at Spigot Lodge, he has continued to flourish. On June 18, 2021, Lee rode his first Royal Ascot winner, Significantly, trained by Burke in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes. He said afterwards, “It’s unreal, to be honest. “This is what I’ve been aiming for since I left school.” On May 21, 2022, he rode his first Pattern winner, El Caballo, in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock. On August 18, 2022, he added a second, Swingalong, in the Lowther Stakes at York; at the time of writing, he has since added 25 more to his career tally.

On October 26, 2025, while suspended and on holiday in Scotland, Lee suffered a serious neck injury in a fall from a cross-country motorbike. According to Burke, “He [Lee] wasn’t doing anything stupid. He was apparently going at less than ten miles an hour, but it flipped over and he landed on his head.”

Lee was placed into an induced coma after breaking his first cervical (C1) vertebrae but, at the time of writing, is reportedly recovering well amd hopes to return to competive race riding in late Februrary or early March 2026. Describing his injury, he said, “It was a straight break. The way I’d landed was like throwing a dart into a dartboard. My spine had gone through the C1 and split it in four places.”

Prior to his accident, Lee had ridden a career-best 94 winners in Britain in 2025 and his first Group 1 winner, Venetian Sun, in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 24. Ironically, he had also won on his last four rides.

Ciaran Gethings

admin February 8, 2026

Born on December 15, 1994 in County Wicklow, Ireland, Ciaran Gethings owed his start in racing to local trainer Philip Rothwell, based in Tinahely, who bought him a pony on which to learn to ride as a 10-year-old and for whom he subsequently rode out regularly after school and during school holidays. Gethings left school at 15 and moved to Kildare, where he attended the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) and worked for Friarstown trainer Conor O’Dwyer.

On completion of his work placement, believing that he would find better opportunities on the opposite side of the Irish Sea, O’Dwyer contacted Somerset trainer Philip Hobbs on Gethings’ behalf. Gethings, 16, duly joined Hobbs as an amateur rider but, according to the ‘Racing Post’, did not take his first ride for Hobbs until March 22, 2013. He rode his first winner, Woodford County, in an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Newbury on November 27, 2014.

Gethings turned conditional specifically to ride War Sound, trained by Hobbs, in the valuable Swinton Hurdle at Haydock on May 9, 2015 and the six-year-old duly justified favouritism, giving his jockey a winner – not to mention a decent payday – on his first ride in his new role. He remained with Hobbs until the summer of 2017, but left to become conditional jockey to Tom George in Slad, Gloucestershire. Explaining his decision, Gethings said, “…my claim was down to 3lb and I thought it best to spread my wings a bit. I rode a winner at Perth for Tom and things just went from there. He holds my licence and things are going great.”

Shortly after winning the Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow on Wild West Wind, trained by George, on December 9, 2017, Gethings said, “… the aim now is now ride my claim out by the end of the season.” That he did, en route to a career-best 33 winners in 2017/18 as a whole.

Tom George aside, Gethings also formed a profitable association with Buckinghamshire trainer Stuart Edmunds, to who he became, for all practical purposes, stable jockey. All told, Gethings rode 114 winners for Edmunds, including the biggest winner of his career so far, Arizona Cardinal, in the Topham Chase at Aintree on April 12, 2024. However, the pair have since parted company, as Gethings explained, “Last season [2024/25] I had four months out through injury, and I probably lost a few rides. I got to February [2025], and I just wasn’t enjoying it at all, and that’s why I said to Stuart that I should go.”

Caoilin Quinn

admin February 8, 2026

Born in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland, Caoilin Quinn started pony racing while still at primary school and during secondary school rode out for local trainer Brian Hamilton, in nearby Ballynoe, at weekends and during school holidays. On leaving school, he joined Warren Greatrex in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire as an a amateur rider and duly rode his first winner, Sarim, trained by Greatrex, in an amateur riders’ handicap on the Flat at Kempton on November 5, 2019, on his first ever racecourse ride.

After a handful of rides in point-to-points, the first of which was Bulfin Island, trained by Roger Varnham, in a restricted point-to-point at Cocklebarrow, Gloucestershire on January 26, 2020, Quinn became conditional jockey to Greatrex. He was immediately successful in that role, too, riding a winner on his first ride, Bill Baxter, in a National Hunt Flat Race at Fakenham on January 4, 2021.

Early the following year, Quinn joined Gary Moore – who, since 2024, has held a joint training licence with his son, Josh – at Lower Beeding, West Sussex as conditional jockey and has remained at the yard ever since. In 2022/23, he broke into double figures for the first time, finishing the season with 25 winners. In 2023/24, he increased his seasonal tally to 28 winners, including Botox Has in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby on November 4, 2023, Salver in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow on December 27, 2023 and Nassalam in the Welsh Grand National later on the same day. Botox Has was, in fact, his first Grade 2 winner and prevailed under joint top weight of 11st 6lb despite Quinn being unable to claim his 5lb weight allowance. He said, “He’s unbelievable. I’m speechless to be honest.”

On November 15, 2024, Quinn rode out his claim on Icare Grandchamp, trained by Gary and Josh Moore, in a handicap chase at Southwell. He was, in fact, completing a double on the day for his yard and said afterwards, “I’m over the moon, and huge thanks must go to Gary and Josh as they have made it happen and have been very supportive.” The 2024/25 season, as a whole, yielded 29 winners and, on September 11, 2025, Quinn won the Jump Jockeys Derby at Epsom on Give It To Me OJ, trained by Gary and Josh Moore. “This Flat stuff is easy, isn’t it?!” he quipped afterwards, adding, “It was brilliant riding around here. I grew up watching the Derby and big races around here, so it was a privilege to get to ride around the track.”

Callum Rodriguez

admin February 8, 2026

Born in Newcastle on May 4, 1997, Callum Rodriguez attended the National Horseracing College in Doncaster before becoming apprenticed to Richard Ford in Garstang, Lancashire. He took his first ride on Mount Cheiron, trained by Ford, in an apprentice handicap at Lingfield on March 4, 2015 and rode his first winner, Insolenceofsilence, likewise trained by Ford, in a similar contest at Hamilton on June 4, 2015.

Rodriguez rode just five winners in 2015 and just eight in 2016, all trained by Ford, before joining Michael Dods in Denton, County Durham. In his first season with Dods, he rode 39 winners and hit the headlines when getting up in the final strides to win the Ebor Handicap at York on Nakeeta, trained by Iain Jardine, on August 26, 2017. Reflecting on victory in the most valuable handicap in Europe, Rodriguez said afterwards, “I was confident coming into today. I’d spent a lot of time with Mr. Jardine, studying form and going through his previous races.

In 2o18, Rodriguez increased his seasonal tally, again, to 68 winners, riding out his claim on Mustaqbal, trained by Dods, in a handicap at Carlisle on September 12, 2018. However, in February 2019, he failed a drugs test at Southwell, testing postive for cocaine, leading to a suspension, an investigation by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and, ultimately, a six-month riding ban. Rodriguez issued a statement, in which he said, “My one-off action was completely out of character and one that I deeply regret.”

In late 2022, Rodriquez began riding out for Edward Bethell – who had taken over the licence from his father, James, in 2021 – in Middleham, North Yorkshire and, in the words of the trainer, “…it’s just snowballed from there.” He quickly became the first-choice jockey for the yard and, on September 9, 2023 rode his first, and so far only, Group 1 winner, Regional, in the Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock. Bethell said of him, “He’s a natural horseman with fantastic hands and we’re lucky to have him.”

A year later, after he had ridden six winners in three days, Rodriquez received further praise from Newmarket trainer Michael Bell, who said, “He’s become the go-to man in the north for southern trainers and he’s with Ed Bethell, so he’s doing really well.” In 2024, Rodriguez rode a career-best 90 winners, including Mickley, trained by Bethell, in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, from 457 rides, at a career-best strike rate of 20%.

Brendan Powell

admin February 8, 2026

Born on January 26, 1995 in Swindon, Wiltshire, Brendan Powell is the son of the Grand National-winning jockey of the same name. In his early teens, he spent two summers with his godfather, Adrian Maguire, in Lombardstown, County Cork, where he competed in pony racing at weekends. He described pony racing as “great preparation” for his future career and duly rode his first winner, Home, trained by his father, in an amateur riders’ handicap on the Flat at Southwell on February 8, 2011.

Initially apprenticed to Jonjo O’Neill and subsequently to the late John Hills, Powell rode a handful of winners on the Flat but, unwilling to ride out his claim in that sphere, embarked on a National Hunt career, as conditional jockey to Colin Tizzard in Milborne Port, Dorset. His career took off quickly, too; on December 19, 2011, while still only 16, he made headlines when riding a 40/1 treble at Plumpton on Dark And Dangerous, trained by his father, and Ohio Gold and Drawn Free, both trained by Tizzard. Joe Tizzard, who would take over the licence at Venn Farm following the retirement of his father in 2022, described Powell as “the best 7lb claimer around at the moment.”

Powell was still only 17 and claiming 3lb when he rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner, Golden Chieftain, trained by Tizzard, in the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase on March 12, 2013. The following season, 2013/14, he rode a then career-best 44 winners, riding out his claim in the process. As a fully-fledged professional, Powell rode 38 winners in 2014/15, 35 in 2015/16 and 29 in 2016/17, but his seasonal tally continued to fall, down to 14 winners in 2017/18 and just nine in 2018/19. Reflecting on his dry spell, he said later, “…a few things weren’t going right for me and I didn’t win on a few horses who I probably should have done. I probably wasn’t mature enough to deal with those days the way I should have done.”

On March 10, 2020, Powell rode his second Cheltenham Festival winner, The Conditional, trained by David Bridgwater, in the Ultima Handicap Chase. Thereafter, as stable jockey to Colin Tizzard, his career took off again and in 2021/22 he rode 65 winners, his highest seasonal tally so far. Fast forward to July 25, 2025 and Powell reached the milestone of 500 career winners on Eightytwo Team, trained by Clare Ellam, in a handicap chase at Uttoxeter. He said,”I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but I knew.”