Jockey

Sean Bowen

admin May 11, 2026

Stable jockey to Olly Murphy in Wilmcote, Warwickshire, Sean Bowen has proved a force majeure in National Hunt racing in recent seasons. He was arguably unlucky not to lift the jump jockeys’ title in Britain for the first time in 2023/24, eventually finishing second behind Harry Cobden after being sidelined for six weeks as the result of a heavy fall at Aintree on Boxing Day, when holding a healthy lead in the championship. Bowen has since sent the record straight, though, winning the British Jump Jockeys’ Championship in 2024/25 with 180 winners and, again, in 2025/26 with an eye-watering 241 winners.

The latter seasonal tally was, in fact, the highest since Tony McCoy rode 258 winners in 2002/03 and far and away the highest since jockeys were restricted to riding at one meeting per day when racing returned, behind closed doors, during the Covid-19 pandemic. After winning his second jockeys’ title in as many years, Bowen told the BBC, “I can’t wait to get back to zero and start all over again, to be honest.”

Bowen was born in Little Newcastle, Pembrokeshire, South West Wales on September 5, 1997 to a racing family. His older brother, Mickey, nows holds the licence at the Yet-Y-Rhug yard, having taken over from his father, Peter, in 2025 and his younger brother, James, is also a successful National Hunt jockey, who finished third in the 2025/26 Jump Jockeys’ Championship with 105 winners. Sean Bowen was champion conditional jockey in 2014/15, only to be usurped by James as the youngest ever winner of that title in 2017/18.

Sean Bowen reached the landmark of 1,000 career winners on Kefir d’Oudairies, trained by Olly Murphy, in a National Hunt Flat race at Fakenham on February 14, 2025. Despite his remarkable tally, though, he has yet to ride a Grade 1 winner or a Cheltenham Festival winner of any description. On reaching the milestone, he said, “It’s been a great season and I’d also love to have a Cheltenham Festival winner.” However, Bowen already has dozens of Graded and Listed winners to his name, so both are surely only a matter of time.

Tristan Durrell

admin May 11, 2026

A graduate from the field of pony racing, Tristan Durrell joined Dan Skelton in Shelfield Green, near Alcester, Warwickshire straight from school, as a 15-year-old, as a regular stable lad, without the promise of any rides. However, he began riding point-to-pointers trained by Nick Pearce at nearby Alne Park Stud and gradually progressed through the ranks to the point where he rode his first winner under Rules, Eyren, trained by Skelton, in a ‘bumper’ confined to amateur riders and conditional jockeys at Doncaster on March 2, 2019, on just his second ride.

Durrell had to wait until December 17, 2020 for his second winner, Amzac Magic, trained by Jack Barber, in an amateur jockeys’ handicap hurdle at Exeter but, having become a conditional jockey, went on to ride 14 winners in 2021/22, 16 winners in 2022/23, 11 winners in 2023/24 and 12 winners in 2024/25. By that stage of his career, Durrell had already made headlines when, on January 13, 2024, as a 3lb claimer, he rode a high-profile Saturday afternoon double on Flegmatik and Jay Jay Reilly, both trained by Skelton, at Kempton. Victory for the latter in the £100,000 Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle was the biggest win of his career at that stage.

However, 2025/26 proved to be the breakthrough season for Durrell. On November 29, 2025, he partnered Panic Attack, trained by Skelton, to a ready, six-and-a-half length victory in the the £250,000 Coral Gold Cup (formerly the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup) at Newbury. On December 13, 2025, he reached the landmark of 75 winners, thereby riding out his remaining 3lb claim, courtesy of Real Quartz, another trained by Skelton, in a novices’ hurdle at Doncaster. On April 11, 2026, Grand National Day, he rode his first Grade 1 winner for the yard, Mirabad, who sprang a 50/1 surprise in the Maghull Novices’ Chase.

Last, but by no means least, on April 25, 2026, the final day of the National Hunt season, Durrell confirmed his position as champion conditional jockey by winning the opening fillies’ juvenile handicap hurdle on Queen Maeve. He finished the season with 48 winners and is now firmly ensconced as second jockey at the Skelton yard, behind former champopn jockey Harry Skelton.

Tom Bellamy

admin February 10, 2026

Born on September 22, 1994 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Tom Bellamy is the elder son of former National Hunt jockey Robert Bellamy. He rode his first winner, Ponchatrain, trained by Martin Keighley, in an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Sedgefield on May 10, 2011. Bellamy enjoyed early success on Swing Bill, trained by David Pipe, in an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Cheltenham on November 11, 2011 and, following discussions with Pipe, turned conditional early the following year.

Three years with Pipe, in Nicholashayne, Somerset, yielded just 20 winners and, in August 2014, Bellamy joined Alan King at Barbury Castle Stables in Wroughton, Wiltshire. He rode 23 winners in 2014/15, 18 in 2015/16 and 25 in 2016/17, the latter total including his first Graded winner, Master Blueyes, trained by King, in the Adonis Juvenile at Kempton on February 25,2017.

In his first season as a fully-fledged professional, Bellamy won the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Splash Of Ginge, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, on November 18, 2017. The 2017/18 season, as a whole, proved a disappointment, though, with just 17 winners and his seasonal tally fell again in 2018/19, to just 12 winners, at a dismal 6% strike rate. Reflecting on his period in the doldrums, Bellamy said later, “…I was at a stage when my claim had gone, had two really quiet seasons and wasn’t far off giving up. “

Nevertheless, with the support of King, Twiston-Davies and Emma Lavelle, his career took off again and has continued to flourish ever since. Bellamy rode a career-best 51 winners in 2021/22, including a high-profile victory on Eclair Surf, trained by Lavelle, in the Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on January 15, 2022. In the next three seasons, Bellamy rode 47, 48 and 45 winners and it would be fair to say that his services have become much sought-after. Aside from being first-choice jockey to David Dennis, he was appointed stable jockey to Emma Lavelle in December 2023 and to Kim Bailey the following summer, when David Bass left to go freelance.

More recently, in November 25, Bellamy was promoted to first-choice jockey at Barbury Castle, replacing Tom Cannon, who had been stable jockey to King since the retirement of Wayne Hutchinson in 2019. At the time of writing, Bellamy has yet to ride a Grade 1 winner, but has five Grade 2 and five Grade 3 winners to his name, the most recent being Master Chewy, trained by Twiston-Davies, in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton on December 27, 2023.

Paul Mulrennan

admin February 10, 2026

Born on April 22, 1982, in Ealing, West London, Paul Mulrennan graduated from the British Racing School in Newmarket before joining Brian Meehan in Lambourn, Berkshire, briefly, and heading north to become apprenticed to Patrick Haslam in Middleham Moor, North Yorkshire. He rode his first winner, Perchancer, trained by Haslam, in an apprentice handicap at Southwell on April 9, 2001.

Mulrennan subsequently joined Mick Easterby in Sherrif Hutton, North Yorkshire. On May 1, 2004, he won the Thirsk Hunt Cup on Blue Spinnaker, trained by Easterby, as “a little-known 5lb claimer” and, on May 17, 2006, rode out his claim on the same horse in a handicap at York. Of Blue Spinnaker, Mulrennan said, “…in many ways he was one of the horses who got my career going.” Early career highlights also included his first Pattern winner, Gentleman’s Deal, also trained by Easterby, in the Group 3 Winter Derby at Lingfield on March 24, 2007.

Fast forward to June 16, 2019 and Mulrennan reached the milestone of 1,000 career winners on British soil on Camacho Chief, trained by Michael Dods, in a handicap at Doncaster. Of his long, lucrative association with the County Durham handler, he said, “…I have a great relationship with Michael Dods and we’ve enjoyed many good days together especially with Meccas’s Angel.” Mecca’s Angel provided Mulrennan with his first, and second, Group 1 winner, courtesy of back-to-back victories in the Nunthorpe Stakes in 2015 and 2016. Mulrennan also won back-to-back victories in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on Mabs Cross, trained by Dods, in 2018 and 2019.

Mulrennan rode his first Royal Ascot winner, Dandino, trained by James Given, in the King George V Stakes on June 17, 2010. He rode over a hundred winners in a year for the first time in 2014 and has since repeated that feat in 2016, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Dods remains his principal benefactor, but he has another long-standing ally in the form of Jim Goldie, who is based in Lanarkshire, Scotland and for whom he has ridden nearly as many winners. On June 17, 2025, the pair combined to win the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot with American Affair. The progressive five-year-old thus became a first Royal Ascot and Group 1 winner for Goldie, who has held a training licence since 1995. Mulrennan quipped afterwards, “The last time I had a Royal Ascot winner [the aforementioned Dandino], I had jet black hair!

Paul O’Brien

admin February 9, 2026

Born on October 15, 1991 in County Cork, Ireland, Paul O’Brien rode in point-to-points in his native country for a few years before moving across the Irish Sea to become conditional jockey to Donald McCain, in Cholmondeley, Cheshire, in February 2012. He rode his first winner under Rules, Mulligan’s Man, trained by McCain, in a novices’ hurdle at Perth on September 26, 2012. Thereafter, his career has been one of steady progress through the ranks.

After 18 months with McCain, which yielded just two winners, O’Brien was offered the job as conditional jockey to Rebecca Curtis in Newport, Pembrokeshire, for whom he had previously ridden out while still an amateur in Ireland. He rode seven winners in 2013/14, all for Curtis, before moving on to Colin Tizzard in Milborne Port, Dorset. It was not until 2017/18, though, that O’Brien broke into double figures for the season, by which time he had moved on again, to Charlie Longsdon in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

After riding 14 winners in 2017/18, O’Brien rode 10 more in 2018/19, including his first Graded winner, Castafiore, trained by Longsdon, in the Grade 2 Altcar Novices’ Chase at Haydock on January 19, 2019, and 10 more in 2019/20. He finally rode out his claim on Takeit Easy, trained by Pam Sly, in a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle at Wetherby on October 13, 2021. Afterwards, he said, “I wouldn’t say it was on my mind but I was aware that I only had one left.”

The following year, 2022, O’Brien joined forces with Harry Derham – then in his first season in the training ranks – in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire and, as stable jockey, has continued to flourish ever since. Early on, Derham said of him, “For a trainer just starting out to have someone to help school and work the horses on a regular basis has been fantastic. He now knows all of my horses inside out and in return for him supporting me I am going to do the same to him on the track.”

In 2024/25, O’Brien rode a career-best 52 winners and, on November 15, 2025, recorded his second Grade 2 victory on One Horse Town, trained by Derham, in the Prestbury Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. Interviewed in April 2025, he included Givemefive, on whom he won the Masterton Holdings Hurdle at Cheltenham on October 26, 2024 – thereby giving Derham his first winner at Prestbury Park – and Washington, on whom he won a valuable handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on December 1, 2024, among his career highlights so far.

Luke Morris

admin February 9, 2026

Born on October 20, 1988, Luke Morris hails from Blewbury, near Didcot, South Oxfordshire, but moved to Newmarket when he was seven and started riding out for Michael Bell when he was 12. He subsequently graduated from the British Racing School and became apprenticed to Bell, riding his first winner, Caerphilly Gal, trained by Patrick Gilligan, in a banded stakes race at Southwell on

November 22, 2005.

After riding a single winner in his inaugural year, Morris increased his annual tally to 13 winners in 2006 and 38 in 2007, the year in which he rode his first high-profile winner, Juniper Girl, trained by Bell, in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. He subsequently joined Stan Moore in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire, riding out his claim in late 2008 and, as a freelance jockey, rode his first Group 1 winner, Gilt Edge Girl, trained by Clive Cox, in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp on October 3, 2010.

On April 30, 2011, Morris took his first Classic ride, finishing a modest fourth (behind Frankel) in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on rank outsider Slim Shadey, trained by Moore. The following year, he became stable jockey to Sir Mark Prescott at the historic Heath House Stables in Newmarket, a position he has occupied ever since. Remarkably, Prescott has had just three stable jockeys – George Duffield, Seb Sanders and Morris – since taking over the licence at Heath House, following the retirement of Jack Waugh – in 1970.

Morris rode his first domestic Group 1 winner, Marsha, trained by Prescott, in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 25, 2017. He has the distinction of having ridden over a hundred winners in every season, bar one, since 2011 and has been all-weather champion jockey three times, in 2014,

2015 and 2017. In recent years, Morris is probably best known for his association with the grey mare Alpinista, trained by Prescott, on whom he won six consecutive Group 1 races, culminating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 2, 2022.

On January 17, 2023, Morris reached the milestone of 2,000 career winners in Britain on Colors Of Freedom, trained by Archie Watson, in a handicap at Southwell, where he had ridden his first winner just over 17 years previously. Reflecting on his landmark success, he said, “I am very lucky to have lots of loyal contacts, great trainers and owners as well as an understanding family who have always supported me. This something that I’ve wanted to do since I was six and they’ve been supportive since the very start.”