Harry Skelton scoops the biggest prize in jumps racing history

Top jockey and friend of the brand Harry Skelton has won the inaugural David Power Jockeys’ Cup – and, with it, £500,000 in prize money...

Harry leant against a worktop in the kitchen, his mud-splattered helmet resting beside him. Grey Dawning and Be Aware, the two horses he’d just taken for a spin on the gallops, were now washed off, rugged up and back in their stables.

It was mid-morning, time for a coffee, and our first real chance to ask rather than just observe... Conversation soon turned to Harry’s standing in the big, new competition that has been running since November: the David Power Jockeys’ Cup.

It really is a biggie, too – with a £1.5million prize fund, and £500,000 for the winning jockey (yep, half a million!). “It’s all to play for,” said Harry. “I might be at the top of the table, but there are some very good jockeys not too far behind me.” And he wasn’t wrong. There were some key fixtures looming, not least the Cheltenham Festival, and his lead wasn’t entirely safe.

How does the David Power Jockeys’ Cup work?

Launched at Cheltenham on Friday 15 November 2024, the David Power Jockeys’ Cup follows a league-style format and runs the length of the National Hunt racing season.

Competing jockeys collect points based on their positioning in all ITV-televised races. A first place scores 10 points; a second place, 8 points; third place, 6 points; and fourth place, 4 points.

It’s pretty simple. The points are totted up as they go, and a live leaderboard shows all those in the running. Consistency is key.

What were the final scores in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup?

At the time of writing, there are still some races to be run that could influence final positions in the league table. A few of the jockeys are still fighting it out for their slice of the prize pot.

Arriving for the opening day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree, Harry Skelton had a wide lead. A fourth-place finish on Boomsbawn in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase then increased his score to 412 points, making it mathematically impossible for any other jockey to close the gap before the competition ends. The battle for second place, however, is much closer, as Harry Cobden and Nico de Boinville are separated by 18 points going into the final day, with scores of 320 points and 302 points respectively.

Harry Skelton in a navy jacket and maroon quarter zip sweatshirt smiling in a stable, with horse blankets and stalls in the background

Friend of Schöffel Country Harry Skelton has had a very successful season, but he’s keen to emphasise that winning the David Power Jockeys’ Cup has been a huge team effort.

What is the prize money for the David Power Jockeys’ Cup?

The total combined prize fund for the David Power Jockeys’ Cup is £1.5million. The winning jockey receives £500k, second place earns £200k, and there is £100k for third place, with the remaining seven jockeys in the top 10 all earning substantial cash prizes as well.

There are prizes for the trainers and the stable staff, too – the people who work so hard throughout the year to keep the horses in prime condition. Harry’s brother Dan, as the man who has trained most of the horses Harry has ridden this season, will receive £50,000. And another £50,000 will go to the rest of the staff at the yard. It’s all pretty fitting, really, given how keen Harry was during our visit to credit his success to the whole team at Dan Skelton Racing.

What’s next? Well, as we publish this update, Harry’s still to be officially presented with the metre-high sterling silver trophy. Word is on the grapevine that he’s already planning a big party – a chance to bring everyone together, say thank-you, and celebrate.

And we’re sure he mentioned something about a holiday to the Maldives...

You can watch our film – Behind the scenes with Champion Jockey Harry Skelton – below or on YouTube.