David Power Jockeys’ Cup: State of play ahead of finale

Sean Bowen may lead Harry Skelton by 27 in the race to be this season’s British Champion jump jockey, but the Welsh rider is a long way back in his bid to pick up as much prize money as possible in the inaugural David Power Jockeys’ Cup which concludes after the second day of action at Aintree’s Randox Grand National Festival. 

Skelton is clear at the top of the leaderboard on 378 points and – with Flat racing back in the spotlight this weekend – is guaranteed to be 74 clear of Harry Cobden when the ITV cameras roll into Liverpool on Thursday. 

Can Cobden catch the runaway leader with a strong start to the Aintree meeting and pinch the £500,000 top prize from under Skelton’s nose? It’s not impossible, especially given the success that the yard of Paul Nicholls has had there over the years, but it looks a tough task. 

We will take a closer look at their mounts after declarations have been made. 

The chase is afoot!

Nico de Boinville has actually ridden more winners in the Jockeys’ Cup than Skelton, but the Seven Barrows stable jockey has failed to add as many points from placed efforts – indeed, he is still yet to finish third in an ITV race this season! 

De Boinville is on 296 points, just eight behind Cobden but 36 clear of current fourth-placed Sam Twiston-Davies who has ridden the same number of winners (eight) as fifth-placed Bowen (222 points) and sixth-placed Gavin Sheehan (188). 

Ben Jones and Charlie Deutsch are both on 152 points, with identical records of 10 wins, three runner-up efforts, four thirds, and one fourth-placed finish apiece. 

Who will come out on top at Aintree and claim bragging rights ahead of next season? Or will Jonjo O’Neill enjoy more success in Liverpool and make up the 12-point deficit on both? 

If he can leapfrog them – from ninth to seventh – then his share of the prize money would jump from £20,000 to £40,000, with the amount going to the O’Neill stable staff also doubling, as it would for his trainer/father Jonjo O’Neill Snr – that’s one way to get in the good books! 

Titanic tussle in conditional riders’ race

In the Jockeys’ Cup race to be leading conditional jockey – which comes with an added prize of £25,000 – Dylan Johnston is on 82 points, 12 clear of Caoilin Quinn who has seen his buffer on those behind shorten significantly in recent weeks. Freddie Gingell (68) and Patrick Wadge (64) are well within striking range as they eye up the top prize, with the £5,000 on offer for the second-best conditional fair consolation. 

Whatever happens on the final two days of action – Thursday 3 April and Friday 4 April – in the 2024/25 David Power Jockeys’ Cup, there will no doubt be plenty of drama and captivating stories on Merseyside.