Champions crowned

Harry Skelton lives out his childhood dream, joined by his sporting family

IT did not quite end as Harry Skelton might have wished but he was crowned champion jump jockey for the first time at Sandown on Saturday.

After a titanic tussle it became mathematically certain that he had beaten Brian Hughes on Thursday – amazing when you consider that nine seasons ago he was down to eight winners.

“Being champion jockey is something I’ve always wanted to achieve,” he said. “Not many people get to live out their childhood dream and I’m very lucky I’ve had the chance. You have to take each season as it comes but I’m going to enjoy this as much as I can.

“I’m very lucky, I’ve got a big stable to ride for and hopefully if I have a good, clean season free of injury and I’m in the same position again then of course I will try to do it again. The fact my name is on that trophy is very satisfying as a lot of the people on there are heroes of mine, which is very special.”

While it is his name engraved on a trophy, the 31-year-old insists his success is more of a team achievement than an individual one.

“It is my name on the trophy but there are a lot of people who have helped. If it wasn’t for Dan [Skelton, brother and trainer] I wouldn’t be in this position.”

No one was prouder than his father, Olympic gold medalwinning showjumper Nick.

“Obviously it is in every jockey’s mind when they start,” said Nick, who watched Harry be presented with his trophy by Sir Anthony McCoy. “For

Harry to do so is remarkable, and I am very proud. He’ll want another now!

“We don’t give up, we are not quitters. You have to keep fighting. That’s what I did and it is what I instilled into them. Harry and Dan were always around me when I was going to the shows. They grew up with horses and have taken it on into racing.

“Dan spent nine years with Paul [Nicholls]. He did a proper apprenticeship there and learnt everything, and so did Harry who was there at the same time. They are very close and work brilliantly together. In the past couple of weeks I was probably getting more agitated than Harry because I wanted him to win.

“There is everything I did but when your boys do it I feel greater pride. The Olympic gold was five years ago. That was a great day for myself and the boys because they were still involved. We are a tight-knit family.

“I think they get their determination from me. Dan is also a great planner. He has planned this all out for Harry, week by week. The next thing would be to make Dan champion trainer but that will not be easy. Paul will not lie down!”

Nicholls celebrated his 12th trainer’s title and Northern Irishman Danny McMenamin was crowned champion conditional jockey. The 20-year-old former pony racer has been based with Nicky Richards in Cumbria since 2017 and this season landed his first Grade Two.

JP McManus won leading owner and the recently retired four-time champion jockey Richard Johnson earned a special recognition award.