We break down some of the top jockeys saddling up in the UK.
While some countries are considered as centres for horse racing, the sport is popular right across the world. Dedicated fans follow the top meetings throughout the calendar while also paying attention to the smaller events.
Over time, serious racegoers identify with certain trainers and jockeys. They know that there are supremely talented riders who, when partnered with the right horse, are virtually unstoppable. It's a combination that has helped to produce some UK-based jockeys who are considered to be the best in the world.
Sean Bowen
Given that he grew up with an allergy to horses, Sean Bowen may seem an unlikely jockey. Having ridden his 1000th winner in February 2025, it's fair to say that the Welshman has overcome his issues.
A former winner of the Apprentice Jockey title, Bowen has been a consistent winner in the UK and abroad, but the biggest races continue to elude him. His mounts tend to carry short prices across the horse racing odds markets, but he'll want to target the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Royal Ascot and the Grand National moving forward.
Despite the lack of a major Group One win on his CV, 1,000 successful races is a huge milestone, and it puts Sean Bowen up among the current list of leading UK National Hunt jockeys.
Harry Skelton
Among National Hunt riders, Sean Bowen enjoys a healthy lead at the top of the champion jockey race, while Harry Skelton heads up the chasing pack. A more experienced athlete, Skelton has also passed the 1,000 winner mark and has earned in excess of £8 million in prize money.
An exceptional talent, Harry Skelton announced himself as a top jockey at a young age, when he won the 2009 Irish Grand National as a teenager. He's since ridden notable winners at the Cheltenham Festival and at other major meetings in the UK and beyond.
The year 2021 saw Skelton enjoy his most productive season to date. At the end of the National Hunt campaign, he was crowned as the British Champion Jump Jockey for the first time, and he subsequently claimed the Jump Jockey of the Year trophy at the prestigious Lester Awards.
Hayley Turner
Results tell us that Hayley Turner is the greatest female UK jockey of all time, and she's arguably the world's best. She made her professional debut back in 2000, at the age of 17, and is still competing in her early 40s.
Turner has ridden winners at top UK meetings, including Royal Ascot, Newmarket and York. After many successful years in the saddle, Turner announced her retirement in 2015 but came back to the sport three years later. Moving forward, she remains competitive and will be aiming to add to her long list of winners.
Tom Marquand
Of the many world class British jockeys currently competing in flat racing, Tom Marquand is up there with the best. He grew up around horses in the racing town of Cheltenham and became an apprentice at the age of 16.
Marquand's reputation quickly grew, and he was crowned as the Champion Apprentice Jockey in 2015. He grabbed the wider racing world's attention by finishing second in the 2020 Epsom Derby on the 50/1 outsider Khalifa Sat.
He'd already won the Lingfield Derby at this stage and has since ridden successful horses at the St Leger Stakes and the July Cup. Tom Marquand ran his 1,000th winner in the UK in 2023, and as one of the younger jockeys on the circuit, he has plenty of time to add to his list of trophies.
Jason Hart
Flying the flag for Scottish racing is leading flat and jump jockey Jason Hart. Few riders can combine both disciplines with great success, but Hart is equally comfortable over the jumps and on the flat ground.
A great start to his career culminated in Hart landing the Champion Apprentice award in 2013. He's since ridden a host of notable winners at top meetings such as Royal Ascot and York. Hart also has a good record in France, where he's won the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp and the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
In the early stages of the 2025 UK flat racing season, two top Irish jockeys lead the way with the most winners, while Jason Hart is among the British riders in the chasing pack.
Each of these jockeys can be seen at the top meetings across the UK, Ireland and beyond. Depending on whether they are National Hunt or flat racing specialists, they will compete at major events such as the Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National and the Epsom Derby.
All races will provide serious competition, and many consider that the best jockeys right now are based in the Republic of Ireland. It makes for a competitive landscape, but these UK riders are a match for any of their global counterparts.
