Sly Man's Jockeys Taking Aim — Saturday 17 October 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.
⚡ William Buick lands the marquee booking of the day on Fifth Column in the 16:35 at Ascot — Mr Fox's pick, and with a 25% career strike rate over 1528 rides, Buick doesn't clock up that kind of number by accident. Seven rides across the card tells you the yards trust him on a big Saturday, and I'll be leaning on him hard.
- Fox's pick in the 16:35 Ascot
- 25% career strike rate (1528 rides)
- 7 rides across the card
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12:55
Inner City Blues T: Charlie Appleby4/1 Race at 12:55
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13:30
Daiquiri Bay T: Alan King9/1 Race at 13:30
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14:05
Great Wish T: Bent Olsen14/1 Race at 14:05
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14:40
Symbol of Majesty T: John & Thady Gosden50/1 Race at 14:40
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15:20
Talk of New York T: Charlie Appleby7/2 Race at 15:20
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16:00
Ombudsman T: John & Thady Gosden7/4 Race at 16:00
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16:35
Fifth Column T: John & Thady Gosden16/1 🦊 Race at 16:35
Sean Bowen
⚡ Sean Bowen is running red-hot right now — six winners in the last seven days from a man who already converts at 24% across 2,422 career rides. Seven bookings across the card today means the trainers know exactly where the form is, and you'd be daft to look past him.
- 6 winners in the last 7 days
- 24% career strike rate (2422 rides)
- 7 rides across the card
- 13:15 Hold The Throw 13/8 Race at 13:15
- 13:50 Galway Reel 4/6 Race at 13:50
- 14:25 King Jon Oliver 2/1 Race at 14:25
- 15:00 Diamond Geezer 4/1 Race at 15:00
- 15:45 Saint Polo 3/1 Race at 15:45
- 16:25 Synchronist 13/2 Race at 16:25
- 17:05 Nostrae De Cougny 10/3 Race at 17:05
Ryan Moore
⚡ Ryan Moore rolls in carrying a 24% career strike rate across 1069 rides — that is not luck, that is a machine — and three winners in the last seven days says the engine is running hot right now. The Balmoral Handicap at 16:35 is the one to circle: when Moore takes a big-race booking on a day he is already in form, you do not need a second invitation.
- 3 winners in the last 7 days
- 24% career strike rate (1069 rides)
- Booked in Balmoral Handicap Stakes (sponsored By Qatar Racing) at 16:35
- 12:55 Confucius 14/1 Race at 12:55
- 13:30 Queenstown 11/1 Race at 13:30
- 14:40 Minnie Hauk 11/2 Race at 14:40
- 15:20 Gstaad 5/2 Race at 15:20
- 16:00 Constitution River 6/1 Race at 16:00
- 16:35 Colori Forever 14/1 Race at 16:35
Harry Skelton
⚡ Harry Skelton is running hot — nine winners in seven days from a man who already converts at 26% across 1,691 career rides is not a purple patch, it's a statement. Get on Country Mile in the 15:37; a speed rating of 139 on a jockey in this nick is the kind of booking the front page walked straight past.
- 9 winners in the last 7 days
- 26% career strike rate (1691 rides)
- On Country Mile (SR 139) in the 15:37
- 13:05 Trigg 5/6 Race at 13:05
- 13:42 Misterdoc 7/4 Race at 13:42
- 14:17 Playful Fox 2/1 Race at 14:17
- 14:52 Beorma 15/8 Race at 14:52
- 15:37 Country Mile 11/10 Race at 15:37
Oisin Murphy
⚡ Oisin Murphy is running hot — eight winners in the last seven days tells you the hands are working and the eye is sharp, and a 22% career strike rate over nearly 2,800 rides is not a fluke. Get him marked on your card for the 16:35 Balmoral Handicap, because when Murphy arrives at a big-field handicap in this kind of nick, you don't look the other way.
- 8 winners in the last 7 days
- 22% career strike rate (2786 rides)
- Booked in Balmoral Handicap Stakes (sponsored By Qatar Racing) at 16:35
- 12:55 Victory Gold 22/1 Race at 12:55
- 13:30 Caballo de Mar 9/2 Race at 13:30
- 14:05 Marvelman 25/1 Race at 14:05
- 14:40 Believed 20/1 Race at 14:40
- 16:00 Bay City Roller 6/1 Race at 16:00
- 16:35 Mister Winston 33/1 Race at 16:35