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James Bowen

admin January 19, 2026

Born on March 12, 2001 in Little Newcastle, Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, James Bowen is the youngest son of former trainer Peter Bowen and his wife, Karen, and the brother of Mickey and Sean Bowen. Formerly a point-to-point trainer, eldest brother Mickey held a joint licence with his father in 2024, before taking over as sole trainer at his Yet-Y-Rhug yard in 2025, while Sean Bowen was British Champion Jump Jockey in 2024/25.

A graduate of the pony racing and point-to-point circuits, James Bowen rode his first winner under Rules, Curious Carlos, bred and owned by Carl Pyne and trained by his father, in a handicap hurdle at Cartmel on May 27, 2017. He subsequently became conditional jockey to Nicky Henderson in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire and was still only 16 years old when he won the postponed Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on Raz Maree, trained by Gavin Cromwell, on January 6, 2018, thereby becoming the youngest jockey ever to do so.

In his first full season, 2017/18, Bowen rode a total of 58 winners and became the youngest ever British Champion Conditional Jockey, taking the record from elder brother Sean, who won the title in 2014/15. He reached the milestone of 75 career winners, thereby riding out his claim and becoming a fully-fledged professional jockey, on Brave Eagle, trained by Henderson, in a handicap hurdle at Southwell on June 12, 2018. At that point, he said, “It’s really good to ride out my claim. Mr Henderson has been really good to me and my parents have been too.”

Bowen rode his first Grade 1 winner, Jango Baie in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, on Boxing Day 2023, but has since added two more, Lulamba in the Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown on May 3, 2025 and, most recently, Jonbon in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on January 17, 2026; all three winners were trained by Nicky Henderson. On the latter occasion, Bowen was a late replacement for Harry Cobden, the newly-appointed retained rider for leading owner John P. McManus, but injured in a fall in the previous race.

Reflecting on the contrasting fortunes of the jockeys involved, winning trainer Nicky Henderson said, “I’m sorry for Harry but thrilled for James, who is riding brilliantly. It’s special when you can do the horse justice, which he has certainly done.” Bowen said, “I’m really grateful to Mr. Henderson and Mr. McManus for letting me ride him after the last time [when beaten at long odds-on], hopefully I put things right anyway.”

Harry Skelton

admin January 19, 2026

Born in Warwickshire on September 20, 1989, Harry Skelton is the son of Olympic showjumper Nick Skelton and the younger brother of Dan Skelton, a hugely successful National Hunt trainer based at Alcester, Warwickshire, to whom he is nowadays stable jockey. Having previously ridden out for Reg Hollinshead, Harry Skelton joined Richard Hannon straight from school but, having grown too heavy to ride on the Flat, moved on to Paul Nicholls in Ditcheat, Somerset, where he would spend nine years before teaming up with his brother.

Skelton rode his first winner – which he said he remembers “as clear as day” – Temper Lad, trained by Jimmy Frost, in a conditional jockeys’ selling handicap hurdle at Exeter on October 10, 2007. Highlights of his early career included winning the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Niche Market, trained by Bob Buckler, on April 13, 2009; aged 19 years, 6 months and 24 days, Skelton became the youngest jockey ever to do so.

Skelton credits his brother Dan with getting his career “back on track” and, indeed, it was the latter who saddled his first Cheltenham Festival winner, Suberb Story, in the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle on March 18, 2016. Dan Skelton also saddled his first Grade 1 winner, Roksana, in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle back at the Festival on March 12, 2009. At the last count, Harry Skelton had 15 Grade 1 winners to his name, with Politologue, trained by Paul Nicholls, in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2020, Grey Dawning in the Golden Miller Novices’ Chase and Protekorat in the Ryanair Chase in 2024 and The New Lion in the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle in 2025 among his 10 Cheltenham Festival winners; the last three named were all trained by his brother.

In 2020/21, Harry Skelton rode 152 winners and was crowned British Champion Jump Jockey for the first, and so far only, time. Reflecting on his maiden jockeys’ title, he said, “As a child growing up and from when I came into racing it’s all I ever wanted to achieve. It’ll take a while for it to sink in properly, but it’s a big weight off the shoulders.” Skelton reached the milestone of 1,000 career winners – at the time of writing, he is closing in on 1,500 – on Darisa Queen, fittingly trained by his brother, in a handicap hurdle at Stratford on October 28, 2021.

Gavin Sheehan

admin January 19, 2026

Born in Dunmanway, County Cork on June 23, 1992, Gavin Sheehan began his riding career on the pony racing circuit in his early teens before graduating to become amateur rider to Michael Hourigan in Patrickswell, County Limerick. He subsequently became conditional jockey to John Joseph Murphy in Upton, County Cork, for whom he would ride his first winner under Rules, Whatsabillion, in a handicap hurdle at Thurles on February 24, 2011.

All told, Sheehan managed just two winners in two years in his native land and, after being sidelined through injury, took the opportunity to cross the Irish Sea and replace Peter O’Toole as conditional jockey to Charlie Mann in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire. O’Toole suffered a serious brain injury following a fall in the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree on Grand National Day, April 9, 2011. According to Sheehan, the move to Mann proved pivotal in his career but, after riding 31 winners on British soil in his first two seasons, he joined Warren Greatrex, who was, at the stage, a young, up-and-coming trainer also based in Upper Lambourn.

In his first season attached to Greatrex, 2013/14, Sheehan rode 50 winners to become British Champion Conditional Jockey. The following season, Greatrex used him as first-choice jockey, resulting in a then career-best 73 winners, including his first Grade 1 winner, Cole Harden, trained by Greatrex, in the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12, 2015. Sheehan rode out his claim on Arzal, trained by Harry Whittington, in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree on April 7, 2016 – also the second Grade 1 winner of his career – but, thereafter, he suffered a series of injuries and was subsequently demoted to second-choice jockey for Greatrex, behind Richard Johnson, in 2017/18.

However, Sheehan soon began a profitable association with Lambourn trainer Jamie Snowden – for whom, at the time of writing, he has ridden nearly 300 winners – and owners Kate and Andrew Brookes, for whom he is the retained rider. He currently has half a dozen Grade 1 winners to his name, including Hewick, trained by John Joseph ‘Shark’ Hanlon, in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day 2023. On April 19, 2025, Sheehan reached the landmark of 100 winners in a season for the first time on Overabottleofred, trained by Tom Gretton, in a mares’ handicap chase at Huntingdon, eventually finishing the season with 106 winners. He said, “It’s brilliant and hopefully it’ll be onwards and upwards next season as Jamie Snowden is getting bigger. “

Cieren Fallon

admin January 19, 2026

Born in Cambridge on June 17, 1999, Cieren Fallon is, of course, the son of six-time British Champion Jockey Kieren Fallon, who rode 2,253 winners before his retirement from the saddle in July 2016. Fallon Jnr. took his first ride on Rhigolter Rose, trained by William Haggas, in an apprentice handicap at Thirsk on August 31, 2018, finishing second, and opened his account, at just the third time of asking, on Plucky Dip, trained by John Ryan, in a similar contest at Leicester on September 24, 2018.

A graduate of the British Racing School in Newmarket, Fallon rode four winners in all in the closing weeks of the 2018 season but, under the tutelage of Haggas, increased his seasonal tally to 62 winners in 2019. He thus became British Champion Apprentice a little over two years after first sitting on a horse, for all that Haggas supplied just one of the 50 winners he rode in the qualifying period between May and October to take the apprentices’ title. In 2020, Fallon again rode 62 winners, including 43 during the Apprentice Jockeys’ Championship, which were sufficient to retain the title. He thus repeated the achievement of Gary Bardwell, who won back-to-back apprentice titles in 1987 and 1988.

On July 11, 2020, Fallon recorded his first Group 1 win on Oxted, trained by Roger Teal, in the July Cup at Newmarket. The following month, he was recruited by Qatar Racing, under the auspices of Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Thani, to ride as second jockey, behind Oisin Murphy. Reflecting on his achievements, Fallon said, “Winning the July Cup with Oxted is obviously the greatest highlight of my year and a memorable day. It’s been an amazing two years really, but I don’t want to be overlooked as an apprentice anymore…” David Redvers, Racing and Bloodstock Manager for Sheikh Al-Thani, said of him, “He [Fallon] has an incredibly calm demeanour for his age, an intuitive riding style and is very level-headed.”

Having ridden out his claim on Twilight Song, trained by Ian Williams, at Salisbury on August 21, 2020, Fallon rode 84 winners in his first season as a fully-fledged professional in 2021, including his second Group 1 win, again on Oxted, in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. On July 1, 2024, he broke his back when unseated by his mount, Nanna Western, at Windsor, but recovered sufficiently to record a third Group 1 win, on Montassib, trained by Haggas,in the Haydock Sprint Cup later in the season.

Brian Hughes

admin January 18, 2026

Born in Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, Northern Ireland on June 27, 1985, Brian Hughes graduated from the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) in County Kildare and rode his first winner on the Flat, as a 7lb claimer, aboard Perugino Lady, trained by Kevin Prendergast, in an apprentice handicap at Downpatrick on October 9, 2002. However, in 2005, Hughes moved to England to pursue a career as a National Hunt jockey, initially with Howard Johnson in County Durham. He rode his first winner on British soil, Bob Justice, trained by Johnson, in a handicap hurdle at Wetherby on December 3, 2005 but, after a promising start, struggled for winners when Paddy Brennan succeeded Graham Lee as stable jockey.

Nevertheless, Hughes persevered in the North of England, forgoing an opportunity to join Nigel Twiston-Davies in Naunton, Gloucestershire. His career took off again in 2007/08 when, under the auspices of the late Alan Swinbank, he became Champion Conditional Jockey with 39 winners. Nowadays based in Carlton-in-Cleveland, North Yorkshire, Hughes has essentially gone from strength-to-strength ever since. He rode over 100 winners in a season for the first time in 2014/15, by which time he had already ridden the first Cheltenham Festival winner, Hawk High, trained by Tim Easterby, in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in March 2014.

Hughes rode over 100 winners again in each of the next three seasons and, in May 2018, was announced as first-choice jockey to Donald McCain in Cholmondeley, Cheshire. He has continued to ply his trade, with no little success., mainly on the northern circuit, ever since and regularly rides out, schools and takes rides not just for McCain, but also for various other trainers.

On January 4, 2019, Hughes reached the landmark of 1,000 career winners on My Old Gold, trained by Nicky Richards, in a novices’ handicap chase at Wetherby. The following season, 2019/20 – which finished in March because of the coronavirus pandemic – he became British Champion Jump Jockey for the first time with 141 winners, 19 ahead of his nearest rival, four-time champion Richard Johnson. Thus, he became the first jockey based in the North of England to be crowned champion since Jonjo O’Neill in 1980.

Hughes was British Champion Jump Jockey again in 2021/22, with 204 winners. On April 20, 2022, he reached the landmark of 200 winners in a single season on Dreams Of Home, trained by McCain, in a handicap chase at Perth. In so doing, he became just the fourth National Hunt jockey in history to achieve that feat, after Peter Scudamore, Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson. Hughes retained his title in 2022/23, with 165 winners.

Billy Loughnane

admin January 18, 2026

Born in County Tipperary on March 2, 2006, Billy Loughnane is the son of Daniel Mark Loughnane, better known as Mark, a predominantly Flat trainer based at Rock Farm, near Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Nicknamed ‘Billy The Kid’, Loughnane took his first ride under Rules on Starfighter, trained by his father, in a mile-and-a-quarter handicap at Newcastle on October 24, 2022. Just over a month later, he rode his first winner, Swiss Rowe, also trained by Mark Loughnane, in a seven-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton on November and has never really looked back.

Loughnane has since gone on to be British All-Weather Champion Apprentice twice, in 2022/23 and 2023/24, and British All-Weather Champion Jockey once, in 2024/25. Remarkably, he rode out his ‘claim’ on Lambert, trained by George Boughey, in a novice stakes race at Kempton on September 8, 2023, less than a year after taking his first ride. Indeed, he followed his six wins in late 2022 with another 130 in 2023, as a whole, including 60 in the ‘window’ between May and October on which the Apprentice Jockeys Championship is decided, which was more than enough to take the apprentices’ title, too, well ahead of his nearest rival, defending champion Benoit de la Sayette.

In his first season as a fully-fledged professional, Loughnane continued in similar form in 2024, increasing his annual tally to 172 winners. He rode his first Pattern race winner of any description, Queues Likely, trained by Stan Moore, in the Group 3 Karin Baronin von Ullmann – Schwarzgold-Rennen at Cologne, Germany on April 21 and his first on British soil, Rashabar, trained by Brian Meehan, in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Ascot on June 18.

In 2025, Loughnane rode an eye-watering 222 winners, taking the Annual Flat Jockeys Championship, which is decided over the full 12 months, and setting a twenty-first record for the number of winners in a calendar year. He equalled the previous record, 221 winners, set by Kieren Fallon in 2003, on First Greyed, trained by Thomas Faulkner, at Wolverhampton on December 30 and, with just three races of the year remaining, went one better when making all on odds-on favourite Invited, trained by George Boughey, in a mile handicap at Lingfield on New Year’s Eve. Earlier in the year, Loughnane had been crowned British All-Weather Champion Jockey, recorded his first Group 1 win, on Rebel’s Romance, trained by Charlie Appleby, in the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppengarten, Germany on August 10 and finished runner-up, behind Oisin Murphy, in the British Flat Jockeys’ Championship.