Harry Skelton: why becoming champion jockey again looks a tall order

It's early September and the jumps season has barely got going but already I think we can say that the champion jockey's title defence is in trouble. That is at least partly because, somewhat unusually, defending that title is not the only thought in the mind of Harry Skelton. You could say it is not even his main priority.

The 31-year-old had a fantastic time of it last term, riding 152 winners, five of which were in Grade 1s. Winning the Tingle Creek aboard Politologue and the Henry VIII on Allmankind was a day he'll never forget.

And there's an excellent chance that this season may also be full of good things but the specific matter of being champion jockey again looks a tall order. That has a lot to do with the gradual change at the yard of his brother, Dan, away from fast-ground horses who would be winning now, towards winter horses who can be aimed at the very best races.

"Obviously we've been very quiet through the summer, by design," Skelton told the Front Runner on Sunday. "For me, it's slightly different from a lot of the jockeys. It's a family-run operation. I work alongside Dan from 6.30am with the planning for the horses. I really enjoy that side of things. I'm more than just the jockey, really. I'm part of that team and I want what's best for his business and best for everyone, going forwards.

"A couple of years ago, we cut back on the summer horses after we had 200 winners one season, and really focused on the winter horses and the quality. Thankfully, we've had fantastic support from owners to get on board with that and we have some really nice horses coming through now."

Title rivals Harry Skelton (left) and Brian Hughes pictured during their battle last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

As a result, Skelton has been pressed into racecourse action on only a handful of occasions this summer, notching one winner in each of July and August, versus a total of 10 for those months last year, or 35 if you go back to the summer of 2018.

Meanwhile, Brian Hughes has been finding the net from all angles, scoring 30 times since the start of July. With 53 wins so far this season, he has a handy title race lead over Paddy Brennan on 34, who is narrowly ahead of Sean Bowen and Sam Twiston-Davies.

Skelton's 17 leaves him in tenth place with a lot of work to do. Judging by last season, we can be sure he will make up a lot of that ground over the winter but it has been a slow start and he does not expect to be much busier until next month. Meanwhile, Hughes has five rides at Perth on Monday, including an odds-on shot in the opener. One firm still has Hughes at odds of 10-11 and Skelton at 13-8 but it feels like they are simply being slow to react.

"It's going to be very difficult," Skelton acknowledges. But he notes that winning the title was not something he particularly had in mind at this stage last year, it was an ambition that emerged due to the successes of the season, and perhaps this season will be similar.

"Once we got Cheltenham out the way, we gave it a real good push and that's exactly what we'll do this year. Brian's had a fantastic start and been very busy. I'm sure he'll be tough to beat. Of course I'd love to win it again but I have to look at the big picture. I want the whole business to thrive."

Harry Skelton: 'It's an exciting time of the year, they're all cantering away and we're starting to school a few'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Explaining the recent regime at Lodge Hill stables, about 12 miles west of Warwick racecourse, Skelton says: "We've been doing a lot of maintenance to the yard. Through the summer, we clean everywhere out and make sure it's all set for when the horses come back in, in July. We've had about 15 in for the summer and they've been running really well. We've been busy with some three-year-olds, before they went out for their summer holidays.

"We need a bit of rain until we start running a few more. We have probably a handful of 20 that I would say will be out as soon as we do get a bit of rain. Generally, all the better ones will be looking towards the end of October, until we get some proper rain. It's an exciting time of the year, they're all cantering away and we're starting to school a few.

"We've got a lot of nice novice chasers. Obviously My Drogo stands out, he's really exciting. Protektorat, it'll be a big year for him and we've got a lot of nice new ones, from France, from the point to point fields and three-year-olds."

Whatever happens, Skelton is the reigning champion this season and delighted to have such an accolade. For fans of jump racing, it's an interesting time of flux, with three different champions over the past three seasons, which hasn't happened since the 1970s.

Hughes is clearly in a strong position but Twiston-Davies may yet have a say. He has been the only rival able to get anything like as many rides as Hughes so far but his strike-rate has been a modest 14 per cent, mostly because his father's yard has been quiet. If Nigel Twiston-Davies were to hit form, as has so often happened in autumns past, it could propel his son into contention for the title.

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a three-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday