Sly Man's Jockeys Taking Aim — Saturday 8 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.
⚡ Ryan Moore rolls into today with three winners in the last seven days and that 27% career strike rate over 480 rides tells you this is no purple patch — it's just the baseline. The Shergar Cup Mile at 16:30 is his marquee booking today, and when Moore takes a Class 2 slot mid-afternoon you don't look the other way.
- 3 winners in the last 7 days
- 27% career strike rate (480 rides)
- Booked in Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile (Class 2 Handicap) at 16:30
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13:35
Spartan Arrow T: Archie Watson17/2 7th
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14:10
Shrimp Shady T: Andrew Balding7/4 🥈 2nd
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14:45
Asgard's Captain T: Dylan Cunha6/1 🏆 WON
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15:55
Archers Bay T: Marco Botti9/4 🏆 WON
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16:30
Ozat T: Ian Williams7/2 🥉 3rd
Oisin Murphy
⚡ Oisin Murphy is running hot — nine winners in seven days is not a purple patch, it is a statement, and six rides today means the carnage continues. Get on Nahraan in the 14:25; a speed rating of 122 with a jockey peaking at this rate is the kind of match the favourites pages sleep through.
- 9 winners in the last 7 days
- 22% career strike rate (1280 rides)
- On Nahraan (SR 122) in the 14:25
- 13:50 Brighton View 4/6 🥉 3rd
- 14:25 Nahraan 7/2 🥉 3rd
- 15:00 Blingy's Sister 16/1 6th
- 15:34 New Image 17/2 5th
- 16:09 Norfolk Blue 11/4 5th
- 16:40 Tilted Kilt 16/1 13th
Billy Loughnane
⚡ Billy Loughnane is in the form of his life right now — 12 winners in seven days is not a purple patch, it's a runaway train. Graceful Song at 13:55 carries a speed rating of 160 and a jockey who at 19% career strike rate already knows how to finish the job.
- 12 winners in the last 7 days
- 19% career strike rate (1705 rides)
- On Graceful Song (SR 160) in the 13:55
- 13:55 Graceful Song 6/4 5th
- 14:30 Mysterious Times 7/4 🥈 2nd
- 15:40 Castle Rock 5/4 🥈 2nd
- 16:14 Runswick 11/4 6th
- 16:50 Brave Nation 2/1 🏆 WON
Dylan Browne McMonagle
⚡ Dylan Browne McMonagle arrives at this card red-hot — three winners in the last seven days from a man whose 15% career strike rate already marks him out as someone worth following. Night Breeze carries a speed rating of 108 into the 14:45, and with McMonagle in this form, that Shergar Cup Mile booking at 16:30 looks like the card's sharpest double play.
- 3 winners in the last 7 days
- Booked in Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile (Class 2 Handicap) at 16:30
- On Night Breeze (SR 108) in the 14:45
- 14:10 Pole Star 15/2 5th
- 14:45 Night Breeze 5/2 5th
- 15:20 Cape Ashizuri 11/1 4th
- 15:55 Ohara 25/1 7th
- 16:30 Two Tribes 7/1 5th
Suraj Narredu
⚡ Suraj Narredu lands the marquee slot in the 16:30 Shergar Cup Mile at Ascot, legged up on Ebt's Guard who clocks a SR of 103 — that is not a number you ignore in a Class 2 handicap. Five rides on the card and the plum booking falls his way; the form books walked past this one, but I have not.
- Fox's pick in the 16:30 Ascot
- Booked in Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile (Class 2 Handicap) at 16:30
- On Ebt's Guard (SR 103) in the 16:30
- 13:35 Fandom 5/1 🥉 3rd
- 14:10 Marnier 20/1 6th
- 15:20 American Gulf 18/1 Race at 15:20
- 15:55 Last Verse 40/1 9th
- 16:30 Ebt's Guard 11/2 🦊 4th