Sir Anthony ‘AP’ McCoy at London Worldwide Horse Present 2022 (London Worldwide Horse Present/Peter Nixon)
The ever-popular Markel Jockeys Leaping in help of The Injured Jockeys Fund class returns to London Worldwide Horse Present on the night of Monday 18 December. The Present, which takes place from 13-18 December at its new house of ExCeL London, is a real equestrian Christmas extravaganza full of top-level competitors and leisure.
This distinctive class sees two groups of 5 world-class jockeys every put their Present Leaping abilities to the check within the prestigious Worldwide Area – all in help of the Injured Jockeys Fund.
This yr’s class comes with thrilling additions: Nice Britain’s Eventing Chef d’Equipe, Dickie Waygood, might be liable for setting the peak of the course, having watched the jockeys heat up, and a Markel Joker fence might be included because the final impediment within the course, which, if cleared efficiently, will subtract 4 seconds off the jockey’s time – making the competitors much more thrilling. As well as, Crew Trainers Pippa Funnell and Nick Skelton CBE might be available previous to and all through the competitors, providing the jockeys steerage and Present Leaping ways.
The 2023 groups, who’ve over 16,000 winners between them, might be captained by the legendary Sir Anthony ‘AP’ McCoy and Tom Scudamore. McCoy is a 20-time Champion Leap Jockey and has ridden 4,358 winners, making him probably the most profitable leap jockey of all time. McCoy can also be the President of the Injured Jockeys Fund, and a daily at London Worldwide Horse Present having led his workforce to victory in final yr’s competitors.
His rival captain, Tom Scudamore, is among the UK’s most profitable leap jockeys and is the third technology of the well-known Scudamore Racing dynasty. While he retired in February of this yr, Scudamore rode a powerful 1,499 winners over jumps and 12 on the flat all through his profession.
Full groups might be determined within the run-up to the Present and launched in the end; nevertheless, followers might be excited to be taught that Harry Skelton, son of Olympic gold medallist present jumper, Nick Skelton CBE, will be a part of the line-up. Harry may also be seeking to retain his title from final yr, and with a Present Leaping background, he might be one to observe.
Jim Crowley, who names London Worldwide Horse Present as his ‘favorite occasion of the yr,’ may also be seen in motion. Crowley was once a leap jockey earlier than he switched paths to turn into a flat jockey, changing into Champion Flat Jockey in 2016. The three-time and present Champion Leap Jockey, Brian Hughes, is one other of the headline names set to fly across the Worldwide Area on the Present.
Representing the ladies are Joanna Mason and Saffie Osborne. Mason rode as an beginner for a lot of seasons earlier than turning skilled on the flat in 2020 and has a powerful tally of over 100 winners already. In the meantime, Osborne is the daughter of well-known jockey turned coach, Jamie Osborne; having turned skilled this yr, she is undoubtedly one of many rising stars of the weighing room. At the moment recovering from a knee damage, she hopes to make a return to the saddle for the category.
Rounding off this stellar line-up are James Doyle, Ryan Moore, and Harry Cobden. Doyle rides for the mighty Crew Godolphin and has simply introduced a brand new retainer as a jockey to the Wathan Racing operation for 2024. Moore is a three-time Champion flat jockey, who has ridden over 3,000 winners and received in any respect the key Classics, together with the current Breeders’ Cup on the Derby winner, August Rodin. Lastly, Cobden is among the UK’s main leap jockeys as steady jockey to Champion Coach, Paul Nicholls. With over 750 winners to this point, Cobden is undoubtedly a famous person jockey; nevertheless, he has said he has ‘by no means jumped a course of Present Jumps in his life!’ and so might be on the lookout for skilled steerage from the Crew Trainers.
Juliet Redfern, Head of Equine Insurance coverage at Markel, added: “Markel is delighted to be sponsoring this fabulous occasion once more and supporting a charity that appears after its personal so properly. As a specialist equine insurer, we’re dedicated to supporting the broader equine trade via such charitable initiatives, and that is one in all our favorite occasions!”
The Markel Jockeys Leaping in help of the Injured Jockeys Fund might be a part of the Present’s thrilling remaining efficiency, which additionally contains the 5* London Grand Prix, that includes the best worldwide Present Leaping horse and rider combos.
For extra info, together with methods to buy tickets to observe the jockeys at London Worldwide Horse Present, go to www.londonhorseshow.com.
For extra info, please contact:
Niki McEwen / rEvolution / nmcewen@revolutionworld.com
