Sly Man's Jockeys Taking Aim — Saturday 31 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.
⚡ Harry Skelton is running hot — seven winners in the last seven days, and now the booking agencies have handed him a Grade 2 slot in the 14:55 Charlie Hall, which is not a race connections waste on a jockey who isn't firing. At 27% career strike rate across 1,737 rides you already know the quality is there, and right now Skelton is the last man you want to oppose.
- 7 winners in the last 7 days
- 27% career strike rate (1737 rides)
- Booked in Bet365 Charlie Hall Steeple Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) at 14:55
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12:35
Minella Hollow T: John Nallen4/11 🏆 WON
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13:10
Palamon T: Dan Skelton2/1 🥉 3rd
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13:45
Kateira T: Dan Skelton5/6 🏆 WON
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14:18
Take No Chances T: Dan Skelton5/4 🥉 3rd
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14:55
Pic D'orhy T: Dan Skelton5/4 🏆 WON
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15:30
Filibustering T: Harry Derham7/4 🏆 WON
Harry Cobden
⚡ Harry Cobden rocks up at Wetherby with three rides and the marquee booking already done — Twinjets in the 14:55 is Fox's pick, and when a 22% career striker from 912 rides gets the nod from the nap column, you don't need a second invitation. Two winners in the last seven days says the hands are warm, so Cobden on Twinjets is the one you scribble down before the card even opens.
- Fox's pick in the 14:55 Wetherby
- 22% career strike rate (912 rides)
- 2 winners in the last 7 days
Sean Bowen
⚡ Sean Bowen is running hot right now — six winners in seven days from a man who already converts at 24% across nearly 2,500 career rides tells you this is no purple patch, this is form. Get on Strong Leader in the 14:18; a horse rated 146 with Bowen in this nick is the standout booking on the card.
- 6 winners in the last 7 days
- 24% career strike rate (2466 rides)
- On Strong Leader (SR 146) in the 14:18
- 12:35 Venezuelan 9/1 5th
- 14:18 Strong Leader 15/8 🏆 WON
- 16:03 Sledgehammer 8/11 🏆 WON
Jack Kennedy
⚡ Jack Kennedy clocks in at 23% across 1,258 rides — that's not luck, that's a rider who finds the winner's enclosure for a living. He's got five chances to add to his two winners this week, and Skerry Hill in the 13:30 with a speed rating of 163 is the one the notebook opens at first.
- 23% career strike rate (1258 rides)
- 2 winners in the last 7 days
- On Skerry Hill (SR 163) in the 13:30
- 13:00 Contador 12/1 5th
- 13:30 Skerry Hill 1/6 🏆 WON
- 14:05 Mino Des Mottes 6/1 11th
- 15:15 Romeo Coolio 3/1 4th
- 15:50 Jacob's Ladder 7/2 🥈 2nd
Hector Crouch
⚡ Seven rides across one card is not a coincidence — trainers do not hand Hector Crouch a full book unless they trust what they are getting. Back that 18% career strike rate over nearly 2,000 rides with two winners already banked this week and you have a jockey worth following from the first race to the last.
- 7 rides across the card
- 2 winners in the last 7 days
- 18% career strike rate (1988 rides)
- 11:20 Izzy Fast 11/2 5th
- 12:25 La Conquista 15/2 4th
- 13:05 Beagle Bay 7/2 🏆 WON
- 14:10 Speckles 14/1 6th
- 14:44 Seacruiser 20/1 4th
- 15:23 Dancing Dunes 7/2 🥉 3rd
- 15:58 Prosperitas 11/1 11th