Sly Man's Jockeys Taking Aim — Sunday 16 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.
⚡ Hector Crouch is running hotter than anyone else in the weighing room right now — eight winners in seven days is not a purple patch, it is a siege. He rides Valvano in the 15:40, a horse sitting on a speed rating of 95, and if you are not on board by post time you are simply handing your money to somebody else.
- 8 winners in the last 7 days
- 18% career strike rate (808 rides)
- On Valvano (SR 95) in the 15:40
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13:30
Jindri T: Jane Chapple-Hyam10/1 6th
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14:00
Have You A Minute T: Tom Tate8/1 🥈 2nd
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15:40
Valvano T: Ralph Beckett9/2 🏆 WON
Daniel Tudhope
⚡ Tudhope has banged in five winners in the last seven days and rolls into Pontefract today where he converts at 22% from 58 rides — a course specialists' edge that the front pages consistently undervalue. Magic Harry in the 15:45 carries a speed rating of 150 and with this man in the saddle right now, that's the one booking you don't walk past.
- 5 winners in the last 7 days
- On Magic Harry (SR 150) in the 15:45
- 22% strike rate at Pontefract (13 from 58)
- 15:45 Magic Harry 9/2 🥉 3rd
- 16:15 Luna Celeste 9/4 🏆 WON
- 16:45 America Queen 11/8 🏆 WON
- 18:45 Veblen Good 11/4 4th
Billy Loughnane
⚡ Billy Loughnane is red-hot right now — five winners in seven days tells you the hands are working and the eye is sharp. He climbs aboard Palladas in the 14:35, a horse carrying a speed rating of 158, and that pairing is the one booking on this card you do not walk past.
- 5 winners in the last 7 days
- 19% career strike rate (1740 rides)
- On Palladas (SR 158) in the 14:35
- 13:30 Typical Woman 12/1 10th
- 14:00 Tardaff 8/1 9th
- 14:35 Palladas 1/3 🏆 WON
- 15:40 Tina's Indian 12/1 13th
- 16:40 Black Orchid 10/3 🥈 2nd
Cieren Fallon
⚡ Cieren Fallon is in the form of his life right now — six winners in seven days is not a purple patch, it is a rampage, and six rides today means the carnage continues. Get on Darzah in the 16:15; a speed rating of 97 on a jockey running this hot is the kind of alignment you do not walk past.
- 6 winners in the last 7 days
- 20% career strike rate (819 rides)
- On Darzah (SR 97) in the 16:15
- 16:15 Darzah 10/3 🥈 2nd
- 16:45 Sing The Blues 9/1 6th
- 17:15 High Degree evn 🏆 WON
- 17:45 Rocking Ends 15/2 5th
- 18:15 Sixty Plus 9/2 5th
- 18:45 Rare Change 11/1 7th
Oisin Murphy
⚡ Oisin Murphy arrives at today's card on the back of four winners in seven days, and a 21% career strike rate over 1310 rides tells you this is no purple patch — it's just Tuesday for him. Get on Coincidenza at 14:10; a speed rating of 149 is the kind of number that makes five rides look like one very good afternoon.
- 4 winners in the last 7 days
- 21% career strike rate (1310 rides)
- On Coincidenza (SR 149) in the 14:10
- 13:35 Alrashdeyah 13/2 5th
- 14:10 Coincidenza 4/1 9th
- 15:55 Unterberg 20/1 9th
- 16:25 A Boy Named Susie 2/7 🏆 WON
- 16:55 New Bond Street 7/2 🥉 3rd