An early challenger to William Buick? How the jockeys' title race stands

William Buick was narrowly denied by Oisin Murphy in last year's Flat jockeys' championship and he is long odds on to go one better this season. Here we take a look at the top six jockeys in the standings at this early stage to see how the championship is shaping up . . .

Latest Flat jockeys' title standings

Hollie Doyle

18 from 83 (22 per cent strike-rate)

Fancied in some quarters as the main danger to Buick, Doyle has started the season in great form.

She sits just ahead of Buick and Ben Curtis after a handy double at Yarmouth on Wednesday and has been putting in the hard yards, picking up multiple rides – and winners – at several low-key meetings as well as being in action on the big days.

Doyle has a potential Oaks player in Nashwa but it is her endeavour day in, day out that will see her in the mix. It would be no surprise to see her build on last year's fifth and tally of 87 winners.

Ben Curtis

17 wins from 59 rides (30 per cent strike-rate)

Ben Curtis missed the winter to undergo operations on a shoulder and his feet but has returned for the turf in fantastic form.

He sits just behind Doyle in the early standings on the same number of winners as Buick, with Curtis enjoying doubles at Lingfield, Beverley, Thirsk, Windsor and Wolverhampton in the last fortnight.

Curtis finished seventh in last year's championship – riding 78 winners – and is a 33-1 shot to land a first title, but his early form suggests he may just be overpriced.

William Buick

17 from 74 (23 per cent strike-rate)

Last year's runner-up has had a solid start to what many expect to be a title procession, although he'd have been disappointed to leave one behind when second on Native Trail behind stablemate Coroebus in the 2,000 Guineas.

William Buick: a strong favourite to win his first jockeys' championshipCredit: Edward Whitaker

The perks of being Charlie Appleby's number one rider mean he is required to ride all over the globe, so he missed the chance to add to his tally last weekend when he was instead in the US and France – not that he'd have been too bothered after bagging Classic glory on Modern Games at Longchamp on Sunday.

Danny Tudhope

13 from 65 (20 per cent strike-rate)

A promising start to the season points to Danny Tudhope potentially being involved despite his odds of 50-1.

Tudhope operated at a 22 per cent strike-rate last month and is going similarly well in May, with 11 of his winners so far coming for David O'Meara.

That does not mean Tudhope is restricted to rides for mainly northern-based stables as he has already teamed up for success with William Haggas, Harry and Roger Charlton, Kevin Philippart De Foy, Saeed bin Suroor and Archie Watson.

Any rides from those yards through the summer would only aid his cause.

Ryan Moore

12 from 37 (32 per cent strike-rate)

Moore's commitments to riding in Ireland for Aidan O'Brien mean he is almost certainly not a contender for the jockeys' title, but that association helped him to a strong early tally during a scintil

lating week of Classic trial victories at Chester and Lingfield.

The jockey left Chester's May meeting with a remarkable eight winners from 11 rides.

Tom Marquand

12 from 67 (18 per cent strike-rate)

Marquand remains second-favourite to Buick in the title betting, and he is not far off the pace after Listed victory on My Astra at Ayr on Wednesday helped him draw level with Moore.

His 19 per cent strike-rate for the month of May is a career-best and given Marquand typically clicks into top gear through June, July and August, the best is very much yet to come.

British Flat jockeys' championship

bet365: 1-3 William Buick, 4 Tom Marquand, 10 David Probert, 11 Hollie Doyle, 12 Silvestre de Sousa, 20 Cieren Fallon, 25 bar

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