Four Apprentice Jockeys To Follow This Flat Season

With the British flat season starting to roar into life, I've highlighted five up and coming stars who I believe will shine brightly throughout the Summer.

Mark Crehan has been making a fairly big splash during these early stages of the campaign with 22 wins to his name at the time of writing this in 2021. Mark claims five pounds and is based with the upwardly mobile Newmarket handler George Boughey, who like Mark, is making significant progress despite still being in the developmental stage of his training career. Mark's strong start to the season has not surprisingly caught the eye of various different trainers all keen to secure Mark's services. Those names get no bigger then 10x champion trainer Sir Michael Stoute, with the pair forming a fruitful partnership in recent weeks and one that I expect to develop even further over the course of the season.

With Royal Ascot in the not too distant future as well as the rest of the Summer festivals, Mark's handy 5lb claim will no doubt be high in demand especially for trainers targeting horses at the big field handicaps this Summer. A solid start to this year has provided Mark with some sturdy foundations to build upon, along with one of British Racing's biggest names providing him with some powerful ammunition. I have no doubt that Mark will have one eye on a tilt at the apprentice title and he won't be short of support in that attempt to do so.

Oli Stammers is already closing in on a season's best total of winners. The talented 5lb claimer has already notched 11 for the year and is only three short of equalling his total for the duration of 2020. Based with dominant, Northern trainer Mark Johnston in Middleham, Oli had a successful winter on the all weather, forming a productive partnership in particular with the Lingdale based handler Gillian Boanas and her Newcastle regular Great Colaci, with the pair recording four victories together throughout the all weather season.

Oli has started the turf campaign in good style, notching up a double at Pontefract last week as well as a success at Newcastle in the form of Phoenix star trained by Jessica Macey. With the powerful backing of Mark Johnston to compliment flourishing partnerships with trainers elsewhere,I'm fairly confident Oli Stammers is a name we'll hear plenty of this Summer.

Based with top dual purpose trainer Gary Moore in West Sussex, 5lb claimer Rhys Clutterbuck is a jockey who's career has started to flourish. Rhys has already surpassed his career best of eleven winners from last season, by bagging twelve winners to date. The turf season could not have started any better for Rhys, with a notable success aboard Leroy Leroy in an Apprentice Handicap at Doncaster during the Lincoln meeting, the traditional turf season curtain raiser.

Like many successful apprentices from years gone by, building contacts away from the yard that you are attached to is pivotal. Rhys has certainly acheived that, by striking up winning partnerships with Epsom based duo Michael Attwater and Jim Boyle, Lambourn based Joseph Tuite and one of Newmarket's newest recruits to the trainer ranks, Kevin Philippart de Foy.

Being a naturally light weighted jockey with the extra incentive of a 5lb claim, Rhys could be a jockey in demand for some top weights in handicaps throughout the campaign. Rhys Clutterbuck is a young jockey improving fast and is a name to keep on the right side of this season.

Oisin McSweeney has recorded four winners this season since linking up with the decorated Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan. The 7lb claimer only rode his first career winner as recently as February 24th, when partnering the Richard Fahey trained Elusive Treat to victory at Kempton Park. Oisin has since bagged another winner for the Malton based handler, teaming up with Corndavon Lad for success at Ayr. Oisin's first ride at the Scottish track a winning one. Oisin has also ridden a winner for fellow Northern based trainer Gran Tuer as well as notching one for his boss.

Oisin's 7lb claim will be a welcome aid for many trainers throughout the season. With strong backing from his boss Kevin Ryan and firm support in the form of another powerful Northern trainer Richard Fahey, I fully expect Oisin to have a productive campaign.