Born in Carmarthen, South West Wales on November 16, 1999, Ben Jones caught the racing bug when he started riding out for a local trainer Paul Hamer while enrolled at Hereford School of Farriery. As a 17-year-old, he joined Philip Hobbs in Bilbook, near Minehead, Somerset, initially as an amateur riding, with no little success, in point-to-points. In his second year with Hobbs, he begaun riding under Rules and rode his first winner in that sphere, Sahara Haze, trained by Philip Dando, in a handicap hurdle at Warwick on February 23, 2018.
Having become a conditional jockey, on the advice of Hobbs, Jones opened his account on Field Exhibition, trained by Grace Harris, in a mares’ handicap chase at Hereford on October 15, 2019. In his early career, Jones was well supported by various trainers, including Ben Clarke, Rebecca Curtis and Emma Lavelle, and the latter who provided his first high-profile winner. On November 30, 2019, having just turned 20, Jones rode De Rasher Counter, saddled by Lavelle, to victory in the
Ladbrokes Trophy Chase – formerly the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and now the Coral Gold Cup – at Newbury. He later said of his achievement, “That got me on the map, I probably didn’t appreciate quite how big it was at the time.”
Thereafter, Jones rode out his claim in under two seasons, losing his remaining weight allowance during the summer of 2021 and reaching the milestone of 100 career winners on Beau Haze, also trained by Phil Dando, in handicap hurdle at Chepstow on March 24, 2022. The 2021/22 season as a whole yielded 39 winners, followed by 28 in 2022/23 and 55 in 2023/24, including his first included his first Cheltenham Festival winner, Shakem Up’arry, trained by Ben Pauling, in the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase on March 14, 2024.
The following October, Pauling, who is based in Naunton, Gloucestershire, asked Jones to become his first-choice jockey. Reflecting on his decision to accept the offer, Jones said later, “When Mr. Pauling asked me to be his number one I didn’t even have to think about it, it was a no-brainer.” In his new role, Jones rode a then career-best 77 winners in 2024/25, including his first Grade 1 winner, The Jukebox Man, trained by Pauling, in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day 2024. Recalling his breakthrough success, Jones said, “My first Grade 1 winner was very special, that’s something I’ll always remember.”