From McCoy to Scu – Six of the Finest Jump Jockeys Ever
For over two decades, AP McCoy dominated jump racing. The rider hung up his saddle in 2015. Since then, Richard Johnson, Brian Hughes, Harry Skelton and Harry Cobden have all won the annual British Jump Jockeys Championship. The title is decided on the number of winners ridden and not on a ratio of wins-to-rides.
Jump racing is fraught with danger. For jockeys, injury is considered an occupational hazard. © Getty Images
This system makes it difficult to rank these and any jockeys in order of greatness. Indeed, comparing athletes of any generation is generally considered an impossible task. However, few argue that there has never been a better jump jockey than AP McCoy. The Northern Irishman smashed every record National Hunt racing has to offer.
Jump racing is fraught with danger, and injury is an occupational hazard. It cut three-time champion Richard Dunwoody’s career short and arguably prevented his chief rival, Adrian Maguire, from becoming Champion Jockey at least once. Considering this, compiling a definitive list of ‘greatest jumps jockeys’ is challenging.
Nevertheless, the cream always rises, and here we have listed six jump jockeys that will doubtlessly make most experts’ top-10 list. Our list is based on a combination of total winners, big race winners, accolades, a ratio of winners-to-runners, dedication, and lasting contributions to jump racing.
1. Sir Anthony McCoy
Preferring to be known as ‘AP’, McCoy was British jump racing Champion Jockey a record 20 consecutive times between 1995-2015. For good measure, he was also Champion Conditional in his first season of riding in the UK in 1994. His first winner came in a flat race in Ireland in 1992 when he was 17.
McCoy’s record for the most wins in a season (289 in the 2001-02 season), and his relentless pursuit of winners have made him legendary within the sport. Landing almost every major horse race on the British and Irish jumps circuit, he had a huge following.
His fans included the Queen, who appointed him a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2003, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2010 and knighted him in 2016. The British public voted him ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ in 2010 when he received 293,152 votes – over three times that of runner-up Phil Taylor.
2. Ruby Walsh
The Irish-based Ruby Walsh was from the same generation as McCoy and rode for 24 years before retiring in 2019. Ruby rode 2,756 winners in his career: 1,980 in Ireland and 776 in Britain. However, unlike McCoy, he will be remembered for the quality of his winners ahead of the quantity.
After he won the Grand National on his first attempt at age 20 (aboard Papillon in 2000), Walsh became the Cheltenham Festival’s most successful jockey, winning 59 races. He will be forever associated with Kauto Star – riding the dual Gold Cup winner to victory 17 times – and the four-time Stayer Hurdle winner, Big Bucks.
3. Richard Dunwoody
Known for his tactical acumen and style, Richard Dunwoody netted 1,699 British winners (1,874 winners overall) during his impressive career. The Belfast native was forced into retirement in 1999 by a neck injury that could have led to paralysis if it was aggravated by another fall. Despite his career being cut short, Dunwoody was Champion Jockey three times.
He rose to fame as a teenager when partnering West Tip to Grand National glory in 1986. Champion Hurdle success aboard Kribensis and Gold Cup triumph on Charter Party followed. But two King George VI Chase victories aboard Desert Orchid sit first in most people’s memory when the name ‘Dunwoody’ is mentioned.
4. Richard Johnson
Richard Johnson was runner-up to Tony McCoy in the Jockeys Championship 16 times before becoming the champion jockey for the first time in 2016 – following his rival’s retirement. Johnson went on to win the championship four consecutive times, accumulating 791 winners in the process. In total, the Englishman rode 3,818 winners in the UK and Ireland.
Gold Cup winners Looks Like Trouble and Native River, in addition to Flagship Uberalles, Rooster Booster, Anzum, Detroit City Lacdoudal, and Florida Pearl, were amongst the best horses Johnson rode to victory. They contributed to his impressive tally of 22 Cheltenham Festival winners. However, to the delight of the UK’s online betting sites, Grand National success eluded Johnson, who rode in the race for a record 21 times.
5. Peter Scudamore
Between 1982 and 1995, Peter Scudamore won the Champion Jockey title eight times, amassing 1,678 winning horses during his career. ‘Scu’ had a notably successful partnership with record-breaking trainer Martin Pipe during the 1980s and early 1990s, significantly contributing to his record-breaking achievements and giving him the title for seven successive seasons.
Given there was far less racing, his 221 winners ridden during the 1988-89 season was remarkable. While he never won the Grand National, Scudamore was associated with winners Miinnehoma and Little Polveir. His biggest successes came in the Champion Hurdle – won aboard Celtic Shot in 1988 and Granville Again in 1993 – and the 1987 Queen Mother Champion Chase on Pearlyman.
6. John Francome
Francome, a seven-time Champion Jockey between 1976 and 1985, is often cited for his natural riding ability. There were only five Cheltenham Festival successes, but he claimed the ‘big three’ with Midnight Court taking the 1978 Gold Cup, Derring Rose claiming the 1981 Stayers Hurdle and Sea Pigeon winning the same year’s Champion Hurdle.
Wayward Lad (1982) and Burrough Hill Lad (1984) gave Francome additional big-race success when winning the King George VI Stakes and contributed to his 1,138 winners. Francome, often controversial and always colourful, became a broadcaster after he retired from riding and has written 25 books.
