Sly Man's Jockeys Taking Aim — Saturday 14 November 2026

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.

🦊 MARQUEE MOUNT

1 Harry Skelton

Harry Skelton arrives at Cheltenham with nine winners in the last seven days and a 27% career strike rate built on nearly 1,800 rides — this is a man in full flow, not a man running warm. Blueking d'Oroux in the 14:20 is the Fox's pick and rightly so, but the sharper play is knowing Skelton himself is the edge right now.

• Fox's pick in the 14:20 Cheltenham
• 9 winners in the last 7 days
• 27% career strike rate (1790 rides)

2 Rides today27% Career strike9 Wins last 7d

🔥 IN FORM

2 Sean Bowen

Sean Bowen has landed 5 winners in the last seven days and walks into today's card carrying a 24% career strike rate across 2,522 rides — that is not a man in a cold spell. The 14:20 Paddy Power Gold Cup booking is the one to watch: premier handicap, Saturday spotlight, and Bowen red-hot underneath it.

• 5 winners in the last 7 days
• 24% career strike rate (2522 rides)
• Booked in Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (In Memory Of Edward O'grady) (Premier Handicap) (Registered As The William Holman) at 14:20

6 Rides today24% Career strike5 Wins last 7d

🔥 IN FORM

3 Harry Cobden

Harry Cobden rolls into Cheltenham carrying four winners from the last seven days and a career strike rate of 22% across 943 rides — that is not a man in a cold spell. The 14:20 Paddy Power Gold Cup booking is the one to watch: when Cobden is this sharp, the big-race mounts tend to pay off.

• 4 winners in the last 7 days
• 22% career strike rate (943 rides)
• Booked in Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (In Memory Of Edward O'grady) (Premier Handicap) (Registered As The William Holman) at 14:20

3 Rides today22% Career strike4 Wins last 7d

🔥 IN FORM

4 Gavin Sheehan

Gavin Sheehan has racked up 8 winners in the last seven days and walks into Cheltenham's 14:20 Paddy Power Gold Cup off a career strike rate of 23% across nearly 1,400 rides — this is a man mid-heater, not mid-slump. The bookies are pricing up the race, not the jockey, and that's your edge.

• 8 winners in the last 7 days
• 23% career strike rate (1369 rides)
• Booked in Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (In Memory Of Edward O'grady) (Premier Handicap) (Registered As The William Holman) at 14:20

3 Rides today23% Career strike8 Wins last 7d

🔥 IN FORM

5 Paul Townend

Paul Townend arrives in red-hot nick — three winners in the last seven days from a man who already converts at 38% across 916 career rides, and that number doesn't lie. He's on City Of Cork in the 13:35, a mount rated 160, and that booking alone tells you everything you need to know about where the stable wants him today.

• 3 winners in the last 7 days
• 38% career strike rate (916 rides)
• On City Of Cork (SR 160) in the 13:35

4 Rides today38% Career strike3 Wins last 7d