Sly Man's Jockeys Taking Aim — Friday 7 August 2026
The riders I'm watching today — the loaded books, the marquee bookings, the form jocks pinging the radar.
Five riders worth watching today. A loaded book is a market signal in itself — when a form jock has multiple chances, the yard sees the day as live. I read the diaries with one eye on the silks, one on the trainer form. Here's what's caught my eye.
⚡ Billy Loughnane is in the form of his life right now — nine winners in seven days from a man already hitting 19% across 1,699 career rides is not a hot streak, it's a statement. Desert Castle at 17:27 carries a speed rating of 157 and Loughnane in this nick, that is the ride of the card.
- 9 winners in the last 7 days
- 19% career strike rate (1699 rides)
- On Desert Castle (SR 157) in the 17:27
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17:27
Desert Castle T: Charlie Appleby4/7 🏆 WON
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18:02
Oh Sweet Adare T: Charlie Appleby8/11 4th
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18:37
Nabati T: Charlie Appleby4/9 🏆 WON
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19:12
Fiscal Policy T: Ruth Carr11/2 6th
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19:47
Areti T: Oliver Cole9/4 7th
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20:22
Lucky Hero T: David O'Meara8/11 🏆 WON
Oisin Murphy
⚡ Oisin Murphy is in the kind of form that makes you put the kettle down and pay attention — eight winners in seven days is a streak, not a blip, and his 22% career strike rate over 1,274 rides tells you this is a man who converts. Get on Zarakova in the 18:02; a speed rating of 158 is the sort of number that separates the shortlist from the winner's enclosure.
- 8 winners in the last 7 days
- 22% career strike rate (1274 rides)
- On Zarakova (SR 158) in the 18:02
- 17:27 Farasan 6/1 6th
- 18:02 Zarakova 15/8 🏆 WON
- 18:37 Al Widyan 14/1 4th
- 19:12 The Caltonian 11/2 4th
- 19:47 Melodical 13/2 6th
- 20:22 Shimmering Sands 4/1 🥉 3rd
W J Lee
⚡ W J Lee has been on fire this week — six winners in seven days is not a purple patch you ignore, and he walks into tonight with a full book of six rides to press the advantage. City of Dubai in the 19:20 carries a speed rating of 156 and has the stable booking that makes this the standout ride of his card.
- 6 winners in the last 7 days
- On City of Dubai (SR 156) in the 19:20
- 6 rides across the card
- 17:05 Spirit Of Eagles 28/1 8th
- 17:35 Rebel Wave 11/4 🏆 WON
- 18:10 Bundle Of Interest 22/1 7th
- 18:45 Make The Tide 12/1 11th
- 19:20 City of Dubai 9/4 🥈 2nd
- 19:55 Anushka 17/2 5th
Dylan Browne McMonagle
⚡ Dylan Browne McMonagle is running hot right now — five winners in the last seven days and five rides today means he is the name to follow across the card. The standout is Bellesque in the 19:20, a rating-159 mount that looks like the booking the front pages slept on.
- 5 winners in the last 7 days
- On Bellesque (SR 159) in the 19:20
- 5 rides across the card
- 17:05 Cladach 17/2 10th
- 17:35 Greydreambeliever 13/2 5th
- 18:10 Tokyo Treasure 17/2 🥈 2nd
- 19:20 Bellesque 7/2 🥉 3rd
- 19:55 Felix Guido - Race at 19:55
Cieren Fallon
⚡ Cieren Fallon has been burning through the card this week — five winners in seven days is not a purple patch you ignore, and two rides today means both mounts matter. He climbs aboard Hierax in the 17:27, a horse carrying a speed rating of 147, and a 20% career strike rate over 787 rides tells you Fallon knows exactly what to do when the quality is there.
- 5 winners in the last 7 days
- 20% career strike rate (787 rides)
- On Hierax (SR 147) in the 17:27
- 17:27 Hierax 15/2 5th
- 19:12 Fifty Nifty 15/2 🏆 WON