The Markel Jockeys Jumping class takes place in support of the Injured Jockeys Fund, an invaluable resource for the racing industry. Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the Injured Jockeys Fund provides much-needed assistance to injured jockeys and their families.
This entertaining class featured two teams of five jockeys — a mix of Flat and National Hunt racing stars — swapping the racecourse for the Show Jumping ring under the bright lights of the prestigious International Arena. The teams were captained by none other than 20-time champion National Hunt jockey Sir Anthony ‘AP’ McCoy and the British Champion National Hunt Jockey (2021-22) Harry Skelton.
Joining McCoy was Harry Cobden, Joanna Mason, Nico de Boinville and Gina Andrews, with Sam Twiston-Davies, James Bowen, Lilly Pinchen and Brian Hughes on Skelton’s team.
The jockeys faced three-second time penalties for every fence knocked down, raising the stakes in this fast-paced contest. At the final fence, the jockeys had a choice: attempt the Joker jump after completing their round where a successful clear would subtract four seconds from their time, while failure added a four-second penalty.
In a closely fought battle, and after some impressive performances, Skelton’s team reigned supreme and claimed the top spot by 19.36 seconds despite the opposing team coach, Pippa Funnel, l raising the final Markel Joker fence for Skelton to put his Show Jumping skills to test.
