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.